History of a Dark Saiyan
by rimera
Summary: AU: When Radditz kidnapped Gohan, he believed his scouter reading, and left with the boy before Goku could intervene. How could something as insignificant as a scouter reading lead to the destruction of the entire universe? Can Goten hope to stop it?
1. Abduction

A/N: Okay, for all of you who had been reading the earlier version of this story, I'm sorry. I had to change it. Not only because it was confusing (as those who read it can attest), but because I realized that there was far too much involved in both Gohan's and Goten's past to explain fully in flashbacks. (Plus, that would be really annoying.) I've put a lot of work into this, so please review… I want to know how I'm doing. I'm using different techniques than I'm used to… planning and organizing the story more than just writing it off the top of my head. If you see something that I need to work on, don't be afraid to tell me… if you don't make mistakes, you don't learn anything, right?

I do not own DBZ or Evanescence, though you will see a lot of both in this story.

ABDUCTION

A cool ocean breeze blew across the tiny island, bringing with it the scents of salt and fish. No one noticed on the island, where a small group of people stood outside of a small pink house. They all faced a tall man with long spiky hair and a tail, radiating varying degrees of nervousness and fear. All except for a small, solitary boy, who was hiding his face behind his father's leg.

"Gohan, get back!" his father whispered to him sternly as the bad man looked them over. But the four-year old boy couldn't overcome his instinct to clutch onto his daddy when there was trouble… not even when the strange lady with blue hair tried to hold onto him, hold him back. Somehow he always managed to escape her grip and run back to his daddy. His daddy was scared of this man, Gohan could tell, and that knowledge only served to make him more afraid. His mommy always said that Daddy was the strongest fighter on Earth! How could he be afraid of someone else?

It wasn't long before Gohan noticed that the bad man had a tail, like him. He didn't know what it meant, only that it was strange. He didn't know anyone else who had one, unless you counted that mean tiger in the woods that chased him. Not even his daddy had one, even though he told him that he used to have one, when he was Gohan's age.

As he stared at the bad man's tail, he saw the bad man glance at him, and at his tail, and felt a chill go down his spine. He hid his face again in his daddy's leg, and was pulled away again by Bulma. He wanted his daddy, he wanted the bad man to go away, he wanted to go back home to his mommy. He had been so excited about going somewhere new, to meet his daddy's friends, but now he wished he had just stayed at home, even if it meant more algebra lessons.

Suddenly, the bad man was in front of his daddy, and his daddy doubled over in pain, and was thrown ten feet away, to where the water met the sand. Gohan cried out. He hadn't even seen the bad man move, but his daddy was hurt, and more importantly, he wasn't right next to him anymore. Wriggling free of Bulma's grasp, Gohan ran for his daddy. Suddenly, he found himself up in the air, being held by the back of his coat. He looked up in horror and saw that it was the bad man that had him. Screaming, he called for his daddy, who was getting closer as the bad man walked toward where he lay in the water.

Gohan cried too loud to hear what the bad man was saying to his daddy, but between sobs he heard him say, "After all, he is my nephew… It would be a shame if I had to hurt him."

Gohan went crazy at that. "Daddy, I'm scared!" he cried, begging for his father to help him, to get him away from the bad man. His father only lay in the water, clutching his stomach. "Help me!" he screamed, unable to stop crying from extreme fear. He had never experienced anything like this before; he could barely process what was happening. Soon the bad man started to fly, and Gohan screamed for his daddy, who was getting smaller and smaller on that little beach. Quickly, Gohan closed his eyes, never ceasing his crying, and it seemed like forever until he felt himself roughly tossed to the ground.

Feeling the ground beneath him, he opened his eyes and realized that the bad man had put him down. He wasn't on the island, and he wasn't anywhere near his daddy. Crying, he ran for the nearest hiding place he could find… a big truck that sat not too far away from where they were. Having never played hide-and-go-seek before, Gohan didn't comprehend that Radditz would be able to find him easily by following the sound of his crying… he just assumed that getting out of sight of the bad man would somehow make him safe. He was proved wrong as suddenly the truck was lifted from the ground, and the bad man was there, scowling down at him.

There was nowhere else to run. Gohan had to be brave. "Oh, yeah?" he asked, trying to sound tough. "My dad can lift that, too, you know!" he pointed out. Not saying a word, the bad man's hand started to glow, and suddenly the truck blew up, right in front of Gohan.

The loud noise and light startled Gohan, and he instantly started bawling. "Shut up!" the bad man demanded. "Stop crying!"

Gohan sniffed, wishing his daddy were there. "I don't know why you're so mean, I didn't do anything to you!" he screamed, crying. The bad man responded by picking him up and walking with him.

"Be quiet, you fool!" he said, trying to console the boy. "You are one of the brave Saiyans, too." When they reached a small round pod, Radditz opened the door and threw the boy inside. "There, you can come out when you quiet down!" he said, closing the door.

Gohan screamed. He hated enclosed spaces… clastro-… claustro… phobic. Claustrophobic, that's what his mom called it. He got really, really scared when he was left alone in small places, and he couldn't breath. He screamed and screamed for the bad man to let him out, but the bad man was gone.

Gohan tried to calm down, like his mommy had taught him from the last time he accidentally got shut in the closet. He breathed deep, counted to ten, but he was scared. He couldn't think. He cried, and crying led to screaming. He banged and banged on the inside of the pod, but couldn't get out. It was locked. There was no way out, and he was going to die there, trapped in the little pod all alone.


	2. Journey to Space

A/N: Okay, now I'm getting it... just needed a bit of momentum, that was all.

I don't own DBZ.

Journey to Space

Radditz hated eating off-ship. Most planets you landed on had creatures of some type on them, but one could never know what effect cooking would have on any particular animal's flesh. Some meat was ruined by cooking… others, like the animal he had just eaten, would probably taste better cooked. Well, it didn't matter, anyway… none of the creatures on this planet had much longer to live anyway. If Kakarrot knew what was good for him, he'd be starting his killing spree any time now.

Sighing, Radditz began to walk back to his space pod. His acute Saiyan hearing could pick up that kid's wailing from a mile away. Pathetic, that was no way for a Saiyan child to act. The kid hadn't even tried to attack him… he just cried like some kind of infant. Saiyan children learned to take care of themselves about when they learned to walk… and most of them came by that instinctively, before they had reached their first year of life. This child was far too old to be acting like such a coward.

Bored, Radditz looked around, wondering what he was going to do on this pathetic little planet for a whole day. Suddenly, his scouter began to beep at him, and he pushed the button that would give a full display. What he saw shocked him. "What? A power level of 710? But where could it be coming from?" he wondered to himself as he checked each direction for the mysterious power level. It wasn't as high as his was, but he had been quite certain that he had found all the high-level beings on this planet, the highest of which was his brother, whose power level was a pathetic 330. As he finally turned in the direction of the space pod, his surprise turned into astonishment as he realized the high power level was coming from within it.

'Kakarrot's brat?' he wondered to himself. "But… that can't be. There's no way a child can have such a high power level!" he told himself.

Suddenly, he thought for a moment. A thought nagged at him, and suddenly he remembered one of his father's lectures about genetics when he was a child. Something about how, even though hybridizing Saiyan genetic material with that of another species usually ended up with a weaker being, sometimes the abnormalities ended with an increase in strength, depending on the species it was mixed with.

So, this hybrid was powerful. Warily, Radditz approached the space pod and opened the door, nearly being knocked over by the small child who now clung to his leg, breathing deeply. While his scouter still read a high power level for a child, it had dropped to 660 once Radditz had opened the door. Radditz nodded, smirking, as he looked the frightened child over. Gohan still had not let go of his leg, or stopped crying, as he was obviously frightened of being placed back in the pod. This was incomprehensible to Radditz, but he shrugged and put the thought to the back of his mind. This child was capable of becoming a formidable warrior, he thought. Even though it was obvious the child's power was tied to his emotions, it was only a matter of time before he could be trained to control it, and when that happened, he would be unstoppable. What's more, he still had his tail… and he was a child, which meant that he could be raised to be loyal to him, and he would not have to be on his guard at all times against betrayal. He had no doubt that, even if his brother did join them now, he would ultimately betray them in the end.

"Hmmm," he muttered, lifting his leg so that the child was almost eye-level with him. "What was it that my brother called you? Gohan?" The little boy nodded. Radditz smirked at him. "Well, how would you like to go on a little trip?" he asked.

Just as Gohan realized that the bad man was going to put him back in the space pod, Radditz grabbed him by the back of the coat again. Gohan screamed, flailing wildly, and his hat came off in his struggle. Radditz paid him no heed as he stepped into the pod and sat down, holding a still-struggling Gohan. He pushed the button that caused the door to close, and Radditz's scouter beeped again as Gohan's power level rose. The kid was getting out of control, so Radditz used his free hand to hit the back of Gohan's neck in a swift chop, rendering the boy unconscious. Sighing, Radditz entered the coordinates that told the space pod to take off, and in no time they were in space. Setting the sleep program, Radditz settled back and breathed in the sleeping gas that filled the small pod. In no time he dozed off, his last thoughts of how he was going to explain this brat to Prince Vegeta.

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Shin Kai opened his eyes suddenly. Had it been a dream? Or a vision? Standing up, he looked up into the sky, letting his senses tell him what his eyes could not. The dream had been from Earth, hadn't it? A tiny ship was leaving the planet, but other than that, nothing major had happened. Or had it? Wasn't there a tiny space pod in his dream?

A strange feeling nagged at him. Something was wrong, something was happening, and it wasn't supposed to happen. He was the Supreme Kai, it was his job to know these things, to trust these instincts. But how could he fix the problem, if he didn't even know what the problem was?

Instinct told him that he had to do something, and fast. He needed to leave the Great Kai planet. He was isolated here, even with his omnisciense, but there was one person he knew who was not isolated... he knew everything that happened on any planet, as long as it was a matter of life and death. He only hoped King Yamma would be of some help.

Quickly, he teleported to the check-in station, hoping at least to find a clue of what was going on.


	3. Hopeful Rescue

Well, you waited and waited, and have probably forgotten what this story was about, but here it is... the next chapter of History of a Dark Saiyan. And let me say, arm-wrestling with writer's block is HARD!

Song lyrics taken from Evanescense's song Whisper.

I do not own DBZ or Evanescense.

Bulma bit her lip as the hovercraft came closer to where her scanners showed the four-star dragonball had been last. The signal had disappeared a while ago, and no one really knew why, though they all suspected that Piccollo had been killed. Krillen and Master Roshi both told her that the fighting was over… but Bulma feared the worst. Had Goku and Piccollo been successful in stopping Radditz? Had Radditz beaten them? Had Piccollo turned on Goku? Thoughts circled her head like a whirlwind as she tried to stay calm enough to fly the hovercraft. She could only hope for the best.

_Catch me as I fall  
Say you're here and it's all over now_

The sensors showed that the last location of the dragonball on Gohan's had was less than 50 yards away. Bulma landed the hovercraft carefully and Krillen jumped out as soon as it touched down. Pulling a spare dragon radar from the console of the craft, Bulma followed him out, just to see a battle-weary Goku sitting on a rock in the distance. As she approached, she saw that he was holding the hat he had given his son, with a small gray stone on top. He looked up at her, and Bulma understood. Radditz had taken Gohan away… out into space.

_Speaking to the atmosphere  
No one's here and I fall into myself_

Krillen looked around. "Goku… where's Piccollo?" he asked hesitantly. Even though his friend and his arch-rival had forged a temporary truce to destroy Radditz, Krillen didn't trust Piccollo as far as he could throw him… which wasn't very far.

Goku grimaced, then gestured to some rocks in the distance. Krillen squinted, then saw what looked to be… Piccollo's foot…

"He wouldn't listen to reason," Goku said sadly. "When Radditz left, he was angry. He had told me that, once Radditz was out of the picture, it would be him against me. I… I didn't want to fight him…not after…" he broke off, and Bulma saw that Goku's arm was very damaged. He was also holding his chest in such a way that suggested broken ribs. "It was a waste," Goku said angrily. "We could have used the dragonballs… but he wouldn't stop attacking…"

Krillen looked to Bulma before asking his next question. "Maybe we can get a space ship and follow them?" he asked. He was no genius, but he had a terrible feeling that Saiyan technology was probably a lot better than even the technology at Capsule Corps… and faster, too.

Scowling, a million thoughts flew through Bulma's head. How far had they gotten? How fast was the Saiyan ship? Where would they go? How could they track them? If they did find them, would Goku be enough? She didn't let herself worry about the last question… the fighters she had grown up with were always surprising her, especially Goku. She would just worry about the more practical questions… like just how far away Gohan was and if they had even a prayer of finding him.

Without saying a word, Bulma turned and headed to her ship. Inside the console was a small portable computer. Bulma entered in the necessary calculations, but knew she didn't have all the information she needed. What she needed to know was how fast that ship was. Racking her brain, she went back over everything Radditz had said on the island. He had said nothing about how fast their ships were… or how far away their homeworld was, Vegeta, had he called it? Only that it had been destroyed by a meteor, so they wouldn't be traveling back and forth from there any more…

_This truth drive me  
Into madness_

"Okay," Bulma said to herself, hoping talking aloud would help her to focus her thoughts. "They don't have a homeworld anymore, so they could have their base on any planet, or any number of planets. That would be easy, if they go from planet to planet killing everyone… lots of empty planets to choose from. They sent Goku here when he was a baby, and just now got around to checking on him… but, they could have just forgotten about him, or expected him to come back on his own. But how…" then it struck her. "Of course!" In a flash, she jumped out of the ship and headed back to Krillen and Goku, who were sitting together silently. "Guys, I've got it!" she exclaimed excitedly.

_I know I can stop the pain  
If I will it all away _

Goku looked up, a hesitant hope in his eyes. "What is it, Bulma? Do you know a way we can get Gohan back?"

"Well… I think I know a way we can try. Goku, do you know where your grandfather found you?" she asked.

Goku thought for a moment. "Not really… but I remember where we used to live, if that helps."

"I know exactly where Gohan found you," Master Roshi said. By this time he and Oolong had made their way to his pupils from the hovercraft. "He told me exactly where the ship landed."

Bulma nodded. "That's great! We need to get there as fast as we can!" she said.

Goku stood up, with a new sense of hope, and called for his flying nimbus cloud. "I'll follow you guys," he said. Quickly, the others ran back to the hovercraft, but Krillen paused for a moment and turned back to Goku.

"Hey, we'll find your son, Goku. Don't worry… no matter what it takes, we won't give up," he said softly.

Goku smiled at his long-time friend. "Thank you, Krillen," he said, and jumped onto his cloud. Krillen sped to the hovercraft, and soon they were off, hopefully, on their way to save Gohan.


	4. Saiyan Pod

Okay, here's another one. I forgot during previous chapters, but I'd like to thank everyone who helped me get this started again… especially TURMOIL. I took her advice, with a few adaptations, and now I think I'm finally on a roll… at least, I will be until school starts again. Eeeek!

I do not own DBZ.

Saiyan Pod

"S-supreme Kai, I don't know what to tell you… no one from Earth has died from extra-ordinary reasons today… well, there was a farmer who was attacked by a strange-looking man, he said, but other than that…" King Yamma trailed off, sorry that he didn't have any better information. The Supreme Kai had never just shown up at the check-in station before, and it was a great honor to even be in his presence.

The Supreme Kai smiled sadly, nodding. "It's okay, King Yamma, I don't exactly know what I'm looking for. It's just… something has happened, something that's not supposed to happen."

King Yamma looked thoughtful for a moment. He thought of something, and was about to say it, when he shook his head. "I'm sorry… I don't know what I can do to help."

Supreme Kai cocked his head. "You were about to say something, King Yamma. What was it? Anything can help, even if it's something small and insignificant."

King Yamma sighed. "Well, I don't know how much help it is, or even if it's important at all. It's just, when you were saying something happened that wasn't supposed to… it reminded me of this one Saiyan we have down in HFIL. He was going on about something that was supposed to happen… we just figured he was crazy."

Supreme Kai raised an eyebrow. "A Saiyan? But… that man from my dream was a Saiyan. Tell me, what was his name?"

King Yamma looked in his books. "Hmm… Bardock. Born on the planet Vegeta, died in a fight with someone named Frieza…. He has two sons still alive, Radditz and Kakarrot." He looked up at the Supreme Kai. "Bardock has been given the gift of visions, it seems. Maybe he wasn't crazy after all…"

Supreme Kai nodded, then turned to go, but something made him stop. Those names… "Wait… Radditz… he was in my dream," he said, then turned back to King Yamma. "Tell me… what do you know about Radditz and Bardock's other son, Kakarrot?"

King Yamma checked his book again. "Hmm… Radditz has a lot of deaths on his head… these Saiyans lately have all been going to HFIL… now that's strange. Looks like Kakarrot's an exception… he's been spending his life protecting people… on Earth." He looked back up at the Supreme Kai, both of them recognizing the connection. Looking back at the book, he continued to read. "Hmm… a double entry," he mused, then flipped the pages in his book back.

"Double entry?" Supreme Kai asked.

King Yamma nodded. "Yes, we try to keep our records as accurate as possible, but sometimes one of these mortals changes their name, and… here we go. Goku, also known as Kakarrot, son of Bardock, brother of Radditz, father of Gohan. Looks like he's been one of Earth's major protectors."

So, the Supreme Kai thought to himself, Gohan. He was the boy from his dream. But what did this all mean? And why did he feel like this wasn't supposed to happen? "King Yamma," he said. Yamma looked up. "I think it's time I spoke to this Bardock. If he's been given the gift of foresight, he may be of some help."

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The radio droned on, filling the otherwise silent room. Bulma sat at her computer, going over calculation after calculation, hoping for something, anything, that might help. They had found Goku's old ship, and, while it was very small and slightly damaged by time and the crash, Bulma had managed to not only fix it, but also to retrieve all the information from its databanks, including the location of all the major outposts in Frieza's empire, the empire to which the Saiyans belonged.

It had turned out that the Saiyans were not the ones in charge, despite what Radditz had led them to believe. This Frieza guy had his clutches all over the known universe, a universe which had just gotten a lot bigger to Bulma. Earth was insignificant in light of what else was out there… truly, the only reason Earth hadn't been destroyed yet was because Frieza and his men hadn't gotten around to it yet.

That wasn't entirely true. They had sent Goku.

Bulma was amazed at a race that would send small children to fight, even to kill people. Goku had only been one of hundreds of children who had been sent out to smaller planets, although Goku had been the only one to be sent when the planet Vegeta exploded. Most children returned within a year or so, as the pod was programmed to return automatically to the launch site as soon as the child in question returned to it. They found that out when Goku got into the pod earlier. Bulma had had to completely shut the computer down before it took off with him in it. Now he was out there, somewhere, headed to the nearest outpost of Frieza's, keeping in contact with them via a device they had found within the pod similar to the one Radditz had worn over his eye. It had been pretty easy for Bulma to translate the information within the computer enough to re-program it… the Saiyan language was pretty straight-forward and direct, and the pod's functions were simple. Keeping the pod from emitting the sleeping gas in-flight was a little tricky, but the rest was just a matter of setting new coordinates based on those Bulma had found in the computer. A piece of cake.

But Bulma had known all along that, if they did find Goku's old ship, getting out into space would be the easy part. The hard part was all up to Goku… finding Gohan in the vast expanse of space, with any number of enemies as powerful as Radditz, if not more powerful, trying to kill him.

"Hey, Bulma, are you there?" a voice broke into her musings. It was coming from Goku's communication device. Bulma turned off the radio and flipped the switch on her own version of the device.

"I can hear you, Goku. Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Sure… but I think I know why the ship is supposed to put you to sleep. I'm starving, and it doesn't look like these Saiyans keep food in these things," he said, and Bulma could hear a low rumbling in the background.

Of course, Bulma thought to herself. Goku would be thinking about food right now. "Goku, you're wrong. The Saiyans did keep food with them… a lot of it, at least if you can call it food. If you look up to your left, you'll see a small compartment with green symbols on it. Do you see it?" she asked.

There was a pause, before Goku answered. "Yeah, I see it. Now what?"

"Well, open it, silly! There's a button by the symbol, just push it."

Another pause. "Uh… wow, that's tiny!" he said in response, and Bulma put her hand to her head.

"Goku, it's compressed food. Just swallow the pill, and you'll be full in a few seconds. Trust me. Oh, and drink plenty of water… it's right beside the food compartment."

Bulma waited patiently, wondering if Goku had signed off when the pause became longer and longer. Then, finally, "Oh, man. I see what you mean. It's not as much fun as eating, but I'm definitely not hungry any more."

Bulma smiled, shaking her head. "I only wish we had known about those pills sooner. It would have saved me and Lunch a lot of cooking," she said lightly.

There was a laugh at the other end. "Well, thanks, Bulma. Oh… have you spoken to Chichi yet?" he asked hesitantly. Somehow, Bulma thought he was thankful to be out in space, so that he wouldn't have to be around when Chichi found out her son was missing.

She sighed. "Yeah, Krillen spoke to her. He said it didn't go well. I really hope you find Gohan, Goku," she said softly, knowing this was really tearing up her friend inside.

"I will," Goku said seriously. "I won't rest until I've found him. Let Chichi know I'm doing my best to find our son, okay?"

"Okay, Goku. You'd better sign off now, to conserve the energy cells of the pod. I charged them up as much as I could, but it is pretty old…" Bulma warned.

"Signing off, then. Oh, and Bulma?"

"Yes, Goku?"

"Thanks."

There was a click, and Bulma smiled past the worry in her heart. It had always been Goku's job to be the optimistic one, and hers to think of all the things that could possibly go wrong, even when they were kids. And now she went back to her computer, doing just that, going over every problem Goku could possibly face, trying to find a way to make finding Gohan possible, if not easier.

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A/N: Okay, hypothetically, if any of my readers are wondering if I'm going to put Videl into this story, that would be a no. If you haven't guessed it from reading the summary, the story does not have Goku finding his son and bringing him safely home, though I realized it would be against his nature not to try. In Toriyama's version, they had to use Kami's old ship to get to Namek, because Piccollo destroyed Goku's old ship, Gohan destroyed Radditz's ship, Bulma accidentally destroyed Nappa's ship with the remote control, and Vegeta took off in his. But since none of that has happened… well, you get the picture. The most tricky part of this story is trying to dance around all the little 'coincidences' in Toriyama's story that made everything happen the way it did. I've found that, even the most insignificant little detail changes the entire layout of the story, so that even the bad guys are necessary to make a happy ending. That's really why I wrote this… to show that, one small little change, like Radditz deciding to believe his scouter reading, changes the entire flow of destiny. Of course, I don't think the Supreme Kai likes my version…. Oops! Gotta run!

Supreme Kai: Hello? Is someone there? Hmm… I could have sworn I sensed somebody. Why do I feel like I may have just missed all the answers to my questions? Oh, well…


	5. Visions

Hello, everybody. I hope you enjoy this new, exciting chapter of Dragon Ball Z! (okay, it's really not DBZ… DBZ had a better plot, probably… and better writers….)

I don't own DBZ or Evanescence. (By the way, all Evanescence lyrics in this chapter are from the song Whisper… it's the second verse to the song that started a couple of chapters ago.)

_I'm frightened by what I see  
But somehow I know  
That there's much more to come_

Gohan sat next to the view port, looking out at the stars. He was on a space station, he knew, but where or how long he had been gone he did not know. His clothes had been changed, and now he was wearing a brownish-green outfit made of some kind of form-fitting material that kept him warm in the cold, dark room. It wasn't the same as Radditz's armor, but it was the same color, which Gohan had come to know had something to do with rank. Radditz was part of Frieza's army, another thing Gohan had learned, and Gohan was expected to be a part of it, too.

He was scared, all alone in this dark room, but at least he wasn't in the space pod any more. He looked out at the stars wistfully, one thought in his mind: where was his dad?

_Immobilized by my fear  
And soon to be  
Blinded by tears_

The last few days had been one nightmare after another. Radditz had decided that the best way to cure Gohan's fear of small, enclosed spaces was to keep him in them for long periods of time. Every time Gohan would pass out from the fear, Radditz would pull him out and beat him until he woke up. Then he would demand Gohan fight back, but Gohan knew that, whether he did or not, he would end up going back into the tiny pod, until Radditz could no longer wake him up that way. Then he would be placed into this room, until Radditz came for him and it started all over again.

_I can stop the pain  
If I will it all away_

Gohan felt ashamed for his fear. His daddy wouldn't have been afraid, would he? His daddy wasn't afraid of anything… at least, he hadn't been, until Radditz had shown up. But at least his daddy wasn't afraid of being locked in the closet, or being put into a tiny space pod. He had to be brave, like his daddy was brave, or he would just get beaten again…

_If I will it all away_

As Gohan heard the doors open, he made a promise to himself. He would stay alive again today, and he would try not to be afraid. Every day he would do the same, until his daddy finally came to rescue him.

Supreme Kai looked the Saiyan prisoner over. For the Kai's arrival, Bardock had been put into chains of energy, strong enough even for the most powerful Saiyans that ended up here. Supreme Kai had to hold back a gasp when he first laid eyes on the prisoner… he looked exactly like the man in his dream had, except for that scar on his cheek, and the red headband he wore. Bardock was looking him over, as well, and to the Supreme Kai's surprise, he didn't seem all that violent. In fact, he seemed almost relieved to see him.

"I've been wondering if I was the only one who sensed it," Bardock said suddenly, smirking.

Supreme Kai raised an eyebrow. "Then… you know why I'm here?" he asked, barely disguising the surprise in his voice.

Bardock nodded. "Destiny's changing. I can tell… my visions are changing, they're not the same as the ones I saw before I died."

Supreme Kai nodded sagely. "Bardock… what did you see for the future before Frieza killed you?" he asked. Before he came, he had read up on Bardock's history, and knew more now about the Saiyans and how Frieza operated. He also knew that Bardock had been trying to stop Frieza from destroying his planet when he died, and how he had gained his gift of foresight.

Bardock scowled. "I saw what Frieza was going to do to the planet Vegeta," he said. "No one would believe me. So I decided I would go up against him myself," he said, sighing. "I didn't have a chance. Frieza had the power to destroy an entire planet with just one blast… but, as he was firing it, I got another vision… of my son, Kakarrot. He had achieved the legendary form of Super Saiyan, and he killed Frieza once and for all." He shook his head. "I had been at peace because of that dream, even in this place, because I knew that Frieza would fall at the hands of a Saiyan, my son, and that our people would be avenged." Anger filled his eyes suddenly. "At least, until I received a new vision the other day… one where the universe was destroyed by an agent of Frieza's!"

"What!" Supreme Kai exclaimed, horrified. "The entire universe!"

Bardock nodded. "It was a Saiyan, one I didn't recognize. I saw Frieza, alive, and then I saw him. He was going from planet to planet, destroying each one, and behind him… was nothing. There were no stars. Nothing was left in his wake. He had destroyed it all."

A chill went through the Supreme Kai as he looked into Bardock's eyes. He wasn't lying. How could things have changed so drastically? From the evil Frieza being killed, to an even greater evil destroying the universe? What caused it, and was there nothing that could stop it?

Suddenly, a vacant look crossed Bardock's face, and he gasped. In a moment, it was gone, but he looked around as though he had been gone for hours.

"Did you have another vision?" Supreme Kai asked. Bardock nodded.

"I saw him," Bardock breathed. "One of my descendants. Not Kakarrot, but he looked exactly like him… I think it was his son. He was fighting the other Saiyan… and he was dressed like you," he said, looking the Supreme Kai over.

Supreme Kai's eyes got wide. "Dressed like me?" he asked, and Bardock nodded. Supreme Kai thought to himself. This was getting more and more interesting. If Goku's son was dressed like him, that would mean that he was trained him. So, did that mean that he should get involved, or would Goku's son contact him somehow? He doubted that last part. Having been the Supreme Kai for as long as he had, he had come to learn that it was better to let things play themselves out, then to interfere directly. There was a reason he stayed secluded on his little planet. But the entire universe being destroyed… surely that was reason enough to interfere?

He needed more information before he made his decision. Looking Bardock over, he thought about what he was going to say before he said it. "Bardock… I need to see what you've seen. May I read your mind?" he asked. Being the Supreme Kai, he could easily have done so without asking, but for the detail he needed, he would rather have the Saiyan's cooperation.

Bardock thought the request over, and then nodded. "If it will help get things back to normal and make it so that Frieza is destroyed in the end, then go ahead," he said. Supreme Kai nodded, and stepped closer to Bardock, placing a hand on his head and closing his eyes.

Visions swirled into his mind, as he saw everything that Bardock had seen, from Kakarrot, to the unknown Saiyan, to Kakarrot's son. He could see them as though he were standing next to them. Curious about the evil Saiyan… he looked familiar…

Suddenly, Bardock managed to get his arm free from his restraints, and hit the Supreme Kai on the back hard, sending him flying. The trolls nearby managed to restrain him again, but Bardock didn't resist them. He merely smirked at the Supreme Kai, who slowly got to his feet, scowling.

Bardock cocked his head. "I gave you what was given to me. I was given the visions so that I might see my own people destroyed the way I destroyed the Kanassans. It's done now… I can do nothing with them. Now you have them… and it's up to you to see that my people are avenged."

The Supreme Kai was taken aback. Maybe Bardock had changed… "Thank you," he said, nodding his head to Bardock. "I must only do what will benefit the universe, but if you are right… then Frieza will be destroyed and the universe will be saved. I will see to it personally."

Bardock nodded, and the Supreme Kai turned to go. "By the way," he said, over his shoulder, "You may find yourself in different living arrangements in the future. Try not to attack the guards when they let you out," he said, and teleported away.

A/N: Well, another chapter down the hatch. I'm sorry if I spend more time on the Supreme Kai than on Gohan… it won't be this way in later chapters, just here at the beginning, where the Supreme Kai is directly involved.

Supreme Kai: I knew someone was here. So, you're the one behind all this!

Me: gulp Um, I don't know what you're talking about.

Supreme Kai: You know, there's an empty cell in HFIL…

Me: Hey, wait, I'm just a writer, I don't even own…ZAPP!

Supreme Kai: There, maybe a little time in HFIL will keep her from changing the course of destiny….hey, who are you people?


	6. Kress

A/N: Ow! Hey, that hurts! Anyways, I'm back with another chapter. Why am I writing this from HFIL, you ask? Apparently the Supreme Kai and King Yamma think that tampering with the "natural flow of destiny" is a bad thing. Heh. Just wait 'till they read the rest of the story. Ouch! Hey, look buddy… wait… that's not a red-hot poker, is it? Aaaah! I don't own DBZ! No, no, please!

**Kress**

The small room that was the Saiyan's quarters on the space station resounded with echoes of Prince Vegeta's voice as he bellowed at Radditz.

"You brought us a child!" Vegeta nearly screamed at him, as Radditz knelt before the angry prince. "Just how is a child supposed to help us?"

Radditz gulped nervously. "B-but, Prince Vegeta, he has a power level of 710!" he nearly squeaked.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "Funny. Our scanners read a power level with you of only 120 when you arrived."

Radditz nodded. "His power level changes with his emotions," he said, trying to stay calm. "When we arrived, the boy was unconscious."

Vegeta was intrigued. "Fine. But what of your brother, Kakarrot?" he asked.

Radditz scowled. "Kakarrot has become weak. He has blended with the weaklings of his planet… he's lost his memories, forgotten his mission… even cut off his tail!" he said through clenched teeth.

"What!" Vegeta demanded. He couldn't understand why any Saiyan would do something like that – it was inconceivable! On their home planet, it was considered a punishment worse than death.

"Kakarrot is worthless to us," Radditz said. "His power level was a mere 330. I bested him with one punch, and took his son to try to motivate him to prove himself worthy of joining us." He smirked. "But when I discovered his son had a power level of 710 when angry, I decided to take him instead. Besides, a child can be trained to be loyal to you. Kakarrot would have turned on us eventually," he explained.

Vegeta finally nodded his assent. "Very well," he said grudgingly. "Bring the boy here."

Radditz got up and left the room. When he came back in, there was a little boy walking beside him. The boy had bruises and looked thin, like he hadn't eaten in a while. His eyes were lowered, and he wasn't wearing armor – proof that he hadn't proven himself in battle, at least not to Radditz's estimation. He looked at Radditz questioningly. "This is him?" he asked.

_Don't turn away  
(Don't give in to the pain)_

Radditz nodded. "He hasn't been trained, not even by his father," he said in explanation for the boy's state.

Vegeta scowled. "If his father wouldn't even train him, he must be too weak to live!" he objected.

"His father had lost his memories as a child," Radditz said quickly. "It's possible that Kakarrot knew of the child's power, and did not train him for another reason."

Vegeta approached Gohan, who looked up. "Well, brat? Why didn't your father train you?" he demanded. When Gohan hesitated, he snarled, "Speak!"

"M-mommy wouldn't let him," Gohan replied in terror. "M-mommy wanted me to study. Daddy wanted to train me, but Mommy said I couldn't train, that I was going to grow up to be an orthopedist," he said in a rush.

Vegeta sweat-dropped, then turned to Radditz. "What's an orthopedist?" he asked. Radditz shrugged blankly. He turned back to the child and smirked. "Your father was a fool and a weakling. You will grow up to be a proper Saiyan warrior, like your uncle. What's your name, brat?"

"G-gohan," Gohan said, swallowing.

Vegeta grimaced. "That's not a name for a Saiyan, even a weak cowardly child," he muttered, turning back to Radditz. "You're his uncle, give the brat a name."

Radditz considered Gohan for a moment before turning back to Vegeta. "Kress," he said.

Vegeta nodded. "Fine, take the brat Kress to one of the planets in the Noron sector and train him. Don't bring him back until he's a warrior," he added, looking the child over. "And give the brat something to eat! He looks like a skeleton!"

_Don't try to hide  
(Though they're screaming your name)_

Radditz nodded and bowed, eyeing his nephew to do the same. Gohan bowed quickly and followed Radditz out the door. Despite his rough treatment, he had begun to grow attached to Radditz- he was his uncle, after all, and the only family he had out here.

As they walked toward the space dock, Radditz looked down at the boy. "Brat, did you understand everything that was said?" he asked gruffly.

Gohan nodded hesitantly. "Prince Vegeta let you keep me, and told you to train me. And you gave me a new name," he said, still not sure about that last part. Why did he need a new name? What was wrong with Gohan?

Radditz nodded. "Kress is a proud name. Some day I'll tell you the story behind it, but for now it's time to go," he said, gesturing to a small pod he had acquisitioned for him.

Gohan grimaced as he got into his space pod. After a month of being locked in one for days at a time, Gohan had gradually gotten over his fear of small, enclosed spaces. Now he was more afraid of pissing off his uncle. Glancing up at Radditz, he asked quietly, "Sir, was it a bad thing that Daddy didn't train me?" he asked quietly.

_Don't close your eyes  
(God knows what lies behind them)_

Radditz scowled. "Yes, Kress, it was a very bad thing. No Saiyan would refuse to train his son, not and let him live. It is a shame worse than death for a Saiyan not to be able to defend himself. Your father should never have had children, and what's more, your mother should never have picked him with such a low power level. But they did, and by some freak of nature, you turned out to be stronger than your parents. That is why we have allowed you to live," Radditz said, watching as the child struggled to keep tears from his eyes. Hearing that one's parents were weaklings was a hard thing, especially if you knew it was true.

Gohan struggled to keep his voice level. "B-but… my Daddy was the strongest fighter in the world," he said softly, holding on to what shreds of his childhood hope he had left.

Sighing, Radditz mentally cursed his brother. "Your world was a world of weaklings," he said, barely keeping the rage from his voice. "Kakarrot was stronger than any of them as an infant… and by cutting off his tail, he became weaker. Had he trained like a real Saiyan, he would have been much, much stronger, and it would not have been so easy for me to beat him," he explained. Remembering something, he dug into the pouch at his side and pulled out a scouter. "Here, put this on," he said, handing it to Gohan.

Gohan took it and placed it over his eye, the way Radditz wore his. Suddenly, a bunch of symbols came up on the screen. He looked up at Radditz questioningly.

"Those are power level readings. When you learn to read, you will see that those numbers tell you how strong you are and the people around you are," he said, and pushed the button to close the door on the space pod.

Gohan swallowed and distracted himself by playing with the scouter. As he felt the space pod take off, he wondered to himself about all that Radditz had said. Was his father really weak? Gohan had always thought he was strong, but he also remembered what had happened on that tiny island… how his Daddy was on the ground, in pain, after one punch. But if his father was weak, then he was definitely much weaker… there was no way he was stronger than his Dad!

Kress. That was a strange name. How could a name be weak or strong, Gohan wondered? Maybe his own name meant something bad in their language? If it did, it was probably better that they call him something else… he didn't want to be called a bad word all the time. But, still… his name was all he had of home…

Gohan shook his head. He couldn't keep thinking about that, he just couldn't. Whether or not his dad had been weak, he had always been brave, and Gohan would be brave now. If they wanted to call him Kress, he would be called Kress. If they wanted to teach him to fight, he would learn to fight. He would train hard, just like he would have if his Daddy were there teaching him, and he would become stronger… maybe even strong enough to go home on his own one day.

_Don't turn out the light  
(Never sleep never die)_

A hopeful thought of being rescued from all of this came to Gohan, but he pushed it aside. He couldn't sit around and hope to be rescued all the time. As long as he held on to that hope, he wouldn't be aware of what was going on around him… he had found that out over the course of this last month, when Radditz had caught him off guard many times as he was doing just that. No, he had to take matters into his own hands. He may be young and weak now, but that would change with time, and time was the only thing he had left. His new hope was not that he would be rescued, but that, one day, he would be able to rescue himself.

* * *

Troll: Well, now, are you going to talk?

Me: Sure! I hope you guys liked this chapter. The next one should have Goku in it… I think… Aaaaah!

Troll: Confess your crimes! reaches for hot poker

Me: Hey! Okay, okay! I messed with your precious "flow of destiny", but I didn't mean to hurt anyone! Besides, it's only temporary… well, maybe it is… darn it, there's already another universe with your "natural flow of destiny", I just decided to make this one different! OOOOOWWWWW!

Troll: Just for that, you're going in the box!

Me: Hell, that's okay… nothing's smaller than my last apartment was… hehe…Anyways, readers, stay tuned for the next exciting episode of… Hey! Okay, sorry! Sorry! I don't own DBZ! Or Evanescense! (That was the chorus of Whisper, by the way,) Ow!


	7. Ultimatum

A/N: Well, it's time again. One more chapter… good thing I've got these memorized, kinda hard to write in this deep, dark hole. My biggest worry, though? School's starting at the end of the month, so I've gotta get this at least a good way done, solitary confinement or not. By the way, I did change one of my chapters… chapter 3, I think... I'm not sure if I've told you. Turns out I forgot to kill someone. Hmm… I guess I'm in HFIL for a reason, aren't I?

Ultimatum

The Saiyan space pod slowed as it reached yet another abandoned space station. Some lights were still on, Goku noticed, but he wasn't fooled… he could sense no life on that station, or on the planet below it. Sighing, he pressed the button on the computer that gave him the list of space stations he hadn't tried, and selected the next one on the list. It seemed that this Frieza guy just built these stations temporarily, and moved from planet to planet, after depleting each planet's natural resources. Goku had found out soon after beginning his journey in space that Frieza was a monster… a very powerful monster that needed to be stopped.

Having run into Frieza's men numerous times since he had left Earth, Goku had a good idea of how powerful Frieza must be. The entire universe feared him… there were few planets left who had not heard of or personally experienced his destruction and evil. It angered Goku to no end that there had been nothing he could do for the planet of Maltek… the Ginyu force had simply been too powerful, and Goku had barely gotten away alive. One thing was certain… when ever he found his son, he would train until he could come back and finally beat Frieza and his men.

If he ever found his son.

It had been a year, nearly two, and he still had no clue where he could be. Every space station he reached was either abandoned, or too heavily guarded for him to search. True, not all of Frieza's men were as strong as the Ginyu Force had been, and he was easily a match for many of them… but not even he could take on an entire space station full of fighters at once. Gaining access to computer records had been no help… they only showed who worked for Frieza, not where they were, and there was no record of Gohan in any of them. No one on any planet had seen or heard of him. Some had heard of Radditz, but no one he had spoken to knew where he was. This didn't surprise Goku, though… according to reputation, if a Saiyan ever landed on a planet, no one was left alive to talk about it.

Goku hated feeling this helpless. He had promised Chichi that he would find their son, but now even Chichi was demanding that he come home. Goku refused, of course… there were still many stations on his list, though now he had gone very far from Earth, and Gohan and Radditz could be anywhere. He had to at least find Radditz… find out if his son was still alive. He couldn't give up.

Kress fired an energy wave at Radditz and disappeared, re-appearing behind him just as Radditz elbowed him in the ribs. He was unable to block the energy wave, though, and fell hard to the ground, getting up just as Kress appeared above him and kicked him in the head. The two sparred this way for hours, neither giving ground to the other, until Radditz finally raised a hand. "Enough," he said, and Kress stopped, landing lightly on the ground.

The young Saiyan wore armor similar to Radditz's, and his long black hair was tied back behind him. He had taken his scouter off for the battle, as had Radditz, and was now putting it back on. Radditz inwardly chuckled. If Kress didn't look so much like his brother Kakarrot, he would be the spitting image of Radditz at that age. He turned and headed back to camp, and Kress followed him. Kress would be hunting for supper tonight, Radditz thought. He could tell the brat still had energy to spare, while his was waning… the last year and a half had been good for Kress, and Radditz had been pleasantly surprised when his nephew's power level approached and slightly rose above his own. And the boy was so young!

It wasn't long after he had taken the boy that he saw Kress's potential, not only as a fighter, but also as a thinker. He had been extensively trained by his mother in math and science, and was now fully capable of taking the space pods apart and putting them back together again, one of his favorite hobbies of late. Despite Radditz's rigorous training, Kress seemed to not only master the physical part, but also find time to study the computer records and show interest in discovering his roots. Radditz was pleased with this… his father had always told him that a good fighter had to think, and that most battles were won before they even begun. His father had been a scientist in his own right, or would have been in the old days, before Frieza. He had developed the bluntz-wave device that allowed Saiyans to turn into their Oozaru forms on planets without moons. Radditz had inherited his father's intelligence, and though it seemed to skip a generation with Kakarrot, Kress most definitely shared in this part of their family's heritage.

Kress returned quickly with a large, green beast in tow. The beast was dead, and in no time it was skinned and ready to cook. Radditz had been teaching Kress another important part of survival… how to cook. Although, while Kress excelled in almost everything else he tried, he still had yet to master this elusive art.

"Not so close to the fire," Radditz grunted, and Kress moved the carcass back five inches. After having eaten burnt reptile five nights in a row, Radditz found himself hard-put to stand back and let Kress do the cooking. He sat down, and after washing up, Kress did the same. Radditz checked the time on his scouter before grimacing. "Today's our last day of training, Kress. Tomorrow, we join the others."

Kress nodded slowly. He didn't want to leave this place. He liked it here, and he had enjoyed the time he had spent with his uncle, who it had turned out wasn't such a bad man after all. Radditz was mean when he wanted to be, but he had helped Kress meet his full potential, and had taught him what Kress had never learned from his father… how to fight.

Not that Kress was anxious to get into any fights. He knew now that fighting was a way of life, and that fighting was in his blood- he couldn't avoid it. Nor did he want to, at least, not altogether… fighting was invigorating, and whenever Kress sparred with his uncle, he felt rejuvenated, more alive.

But, there was sparring… and then there was killing. And, despite everything Uncle Radditz had told him, Kress knew he was not prepared to kill anyone… especially not innocent people, not weaklings. Kress was no fool… he knew, from Uncle Radditz's stories and from the computer records that they did what Frieza commanded, and that the Saiyans were in the business of killing innocent people. Pacifism was punishable by death, in Frieza's ranks.

Kress still didn't know what to do. Could he do it? Would he do it? Even with over a year of training, it had been deeply ingrained into Kress that killing was wrong. His father had taught him that…

Kress shook his head. He had asked Uncle Radditz once what would happen if he just couldn't do it. Radditz had merely replied, somewhat mystically, that he was a Saiyan, and that Saiyans could do anything. Kress didn't believe it, or at least, didn't believe it applied to him. Everything in his being was against killing people… instinctively, Kress knew, the day he was told to do it would be the day he died for insurrection.

Of course, those were noble sentiments… but that day would probably be tomorrow, and Kress found himself wishing the night would last longer and longer.

Radditz watched the boy's discomfort, and frowned. He knew what Kress was thinking… "Kress," he said, breaking the boy out of his reverie. Kress looked up. "When I came to Earth, it was to get your father, Kakarrot, to join us, and to help us. I did not know that your father had become weak, although I should have known by the fact that people were still living on that planet. Your father was supposed to have killed them, but I was willing to accept him again, and train him, if he would prove to me that he was not weak by killing at least one hundred Earthlings and piling them on the beach. Do you remember this conversation?"

Kress nodded hesitantly. "It's vague… I was crying a lot," he admitted quietly. So… his father had to face the same decision, huh?

"I never gave your father the chance to finish his task," Radditz said, looking into the fire. "I had wondered what he would do, so while we were on that space station where we met up with Prince Vegeta, I sent a probe to the planet to see what had become of it. Kakarrot had killed one person. Just one," he said, looking his nephew over.

Kress's eyes were wide. He had fully expected that his father would ignore Radditz's ultimatum and come to rescue him instead. Now it seemed as though he had at least tried to fulfill it… although before or after he and Radditz had left, he did not know. Nor could he figure out why his father had stopped at one.

"I knew your father would not kill those he had spared for so long simply because I told him to," Radditz went on. "So I gave him some motivation. Your life. Do you remember that?" he asked.

Kress went cold inside. Yes, he remembered. He had threatened to hurt him if Kakarrot did not do as he wished before the end of the day. Absently, the boy wondered if his father's failure meant that Radditz would make good on his word and kill him tonight. Kress doubted it… why spend so much time training him? He merely nodded, and waited for Radditz to continue.

"Kakarrot obviously needed more motivation," Radditz went on. "It's possible that he had given up hope of getting his son back, and that was why he allowed every one else to live," he mused, watching the boy closely. "Whatever the case, he failed. He obviously did not believe me when I told him I would be back to do his job for him if he didn't do it first."

Suddenly Kress realized where Radditz was going with this. "The probe…" he guessed weakly.

Radditz nodded. "I prefer to handle these things personally. But, I always have a backup plan. The probe has enough firepower to destroy the entire planet if I so wish it. That probe is still there, Kress…it hasn't fulfilled it's secondary function yet. People are still alive on Earth… including your father and mother. I tried to help Kakarrot find the motivation he needed to do what had to be done… but it was not enough for him. I wonder… will it be enough for you?" he asked darkly. There would come a day when he would not have to trick his nephew into doing his job… but it had been obvious the boy would need help getting started.

Kress swallowed. 'A Saiyan can do anything,' his uncle had told him. Now he knew what he meant. Just thinking about that deadly probe hovering over his mother, his father… his grandfather… anyone he had ever met…how many innocent people's lives hung in the balance, he wondered? All on a decision he would make.

But, was it really a decision? Radditz had had the power the whole time to kill those he loved… but he had been waiting for this, for the time he would need to display his power, to give Kress the ultimate ultimatum… to kill those he didn't know, or watch those he knew and love be killed. But who was to say that, whatever Kress decided, Earth would be safe? Or, if he refused to do what he was asked tomorrow, how could he be sure that Radditz himself would not kill all those he spared, and destroy him and his loved ones anyway?

"You… you'll never stop, will you?" Kress asked weakly. He looked up at Radditz. "No matter what I decide to do, people will die. The only decision I have really is, will I be the one to kill them?"

Radditz smirked. "You are smart," he said. He sighed. "Kress, do you think I do what I do because I think it's fun?" he asked. His nephew cocked his head. "I don't. I, too, have a reason to do what I do. So do Nappa and Prince Vegeta. Our reason is revenge." He paused for a moment. "Frieza made a deal with King Vegeta when I was only a child. That deal was to go in business with him, as planet brokers. He used money first, then kidnapped the King's son, Prince Vegeta. But still, in the end, the King had planned to betray Frieza. So, before he had the chance, Frieza destroyed the entire planet with one giant ball of energy."

Kress gasped. He had never heard this story… Radditz had told him that the planet Vegeta was destroyed by a giant meteor. Radditz was scowling. "I didn't know the true reason behind our planet's destruction, until Nappa and I found out from listening to one of the Ginyu Force, Frieza's personal guard. When we told Prince Vegeta, we found that he had already known… he had known all along, since he heard the news that our planet had been destroyed. I'll never forget what he told us that night. He said that his main goal was to get stronger… that we would serve Frieza until, one day, we were strong enough to defeat him, and finally avenge the deaths of our kinsmen… our people…" Radditz regarded Kress for a moment, before he said, "My father, your grandfather, was one of the first to die at Frieza's hand. My mother was on that planet… the only one who survived was my little brother, and he might as well have died. Hatred drives me more than anything… hatred for Frieza, for what has become of my people… for what I have to do now. But I have to do it, because if I don't, my people… my family will never be avenged."

He scowled at Kress. "So, no, I will never stop. Not until I have reached my goal. I have something to fight for, Kress… you need something, too. Search within yourself, and find your motivation… because, tomorrow, if you choose not to help us, I will kill you. Believe it." With that, he walked off a ways, and, finding a soft enough place, laid down to sleep.

Kress scowled at his hands. Motivation? Radditz was asking him to kill hundreds of innocent people, or watch his family die. Radditz had said that hatred was his motivation, but Kress didn't know that he could hate anyone that much. He couldn't even hate his uncle… and he was the one threatening his family! How had his uncle become so cold and hard that he could do to Kress what had been done to his own family without blinking an eye?

For the first time, Kress wished he couldn't feel anything… that he couldn't feel the pain in his chest at what he would be asked to do. There would be no saving lives tomorrow… either he would kill them, or Radditz would, but they would die either way. The only difference was, in one scenario, he and his family would die, and in the other, they would live on. If Radditz kept using the same bargaining chips, then Kress could keep his family alive as long as he did what his Uncle and Prince Vegeta told him to.

Kress didn't sleep that night. Instead, he sat at the fire, occasionally adding more wood, and contemplating the destruction of a planet full of people.

A/N: Well, that's today's chapter… tune in tomorrow for the next exciting episode of… what, no red-hot pokers?

Supreme Kai: You're finding this fun, aren't you?

Me: Oh, sure, I like getting tortured… loads of fun.

Supreme Kai: I fail to understand why you continue to do this? How could you do such evil things to the young and innocent?

Me: I'm not hurting anyone! Look, I write what's in me to write. If that's death and destruction, then I write death and destruction. Good things will happen in this story, too, you know!

Supreme Kai: Like what, exactly?

Me: Ah, ah, ah, you'll find out when everyone else does. But, come on, a story with only bad things or only good things is not a good story… you're the Supreme Kai, don't you understand the balance between good and evil?

Supreme Kai: You mean the balance that you're tampering with?

Me: Hmm… good point.


	8. Learning to Kill

A/N: Well, I'm back, unrepentant and unforgiven, apparently, as I'm still in this rack thing… You may wonder how I'm writing this with my arms and legs tied down. The answer? I don't know… I just am.

Supreme Kai: I'm not going to let you out until you change things back to the way they were.

Me: Supreme Kai, you're after the wrong thing. Look… you want to make your universe better, go back to your little planet and wait for the hero you saw in your vision to show up somewhere….

Supreme Kai: Where should I look for him?

Me: I'm sorry, I can't tell you. It would disrupt the-

Supreme Kai: Normal flow of destiny? Too late for that, isn't it?

Me: Look, you can't blame me for everything that goes wrong! Well… maybe you can…but I have a purpose here! I liked the way things turned out in the normal version, don't get me wrong, but I'm a writer, damn it! I write from inside, and I come up with alternatives and twists… you can't tell me what to write any more than you can tell the wind which way to blow! So go back to your little planet and wait for the child that looks like Kakarrot! And I think I've confronted my inner good/vs./evil issues. It's time for me to go. disappears .

Supreme Kai: Where did she go? You mean… she was here only because she wanted to be? Wow… talk about issues….

Learning to Kill

_I tried to kill the pain  
but only brought more_

Kress looked down the hill at the small village before him. He could see people milling around peacefully, men, women, children… they were all green-skinned, but other than that, they didn't look much different than he did.

His senses told him that Radditz had approached, and was standing beside him. Kress could not look at his uncle… he had to do this, he knew, and he needed to do it quickly, or he would lose his nerve. He forced himself to think of the reason he was doing this, that one motivation… to keep his family on Earth safe. With them in mind, he began to power up.

Goku slept fitfully in his space pod. He was dreaming, that he knew, but it seemed like his dreams were so real. He dreamed about Gohan, alone and scared, and then suddenly he saw him in armor that looked just like Radditz's. He was still a child, and Goku could feel the tears on his face as if they were his own. He was facing a small village, with his hands raised, and was going to fire an energy blast at them.

_i lay dying  
and i'm pouring crimson regret and betrayal_

NO! Goku screamed, but it seemed like he couldn't make a sound. He could feel a pain deep in his chest, and somehow knew it was Gohan's pain, that he hated what he was doing, but felt like he had no choice.

_i'm dying, praying, bleeding and screaming_

'I'm sorry, Dad,' his voice said softly, and with a rush of energy the village was engulfed in bright light, then completely disintegrated before his eyes.

Goku awoke with a start, and felt his face. He was crying, and the feeling in his chest was still there. Looking out to the stars, he reached out with his senses to try to find his son, but again found nothing. He sighed. "Oh, Gohan," he said to the vacant stars. "I'm sorry."

_am i too lost to be saved  
am i too lost?_

Kress blinked back tears all day as he destroyed village after village, until Radditz was certain there were no more living beings on the planet. Every village was like a stabbing pain in his heart, and it was even worse when they had to kill the individual survivors. There had even been a young boy his own age, looking at him with complete innocence, as Kress lifted a hand and blasted him into nothing. Each person represented a tiny bit of Kress's soul, and as he destroyed each one, he felt himself get colder and colder inside. He didn't think he would ever be the same person he had been… and he knew that he would never sleep again. The tears stopped coming the closer they came to ending their mission… whether it was because it was almost over, or because he had run out of tears to cry, Kress did not know. One thing was for certain… the people of this planet had not been the only ones to die today. With them died a little boy named Gohan.

"Kress, it's time to go," Radditz said to him after they had scoured the planet one last time.

Kress nodded, and followed Radditz back to the space pods. Kress tried to think of his family, how he'd kept them safe, but his heart knew it was a lie. Today had been wasteful, and the family he had saved today didn't belong to him anymore… they belonged to the little boy who died. Even if, by some miracle, he was reunited with them, he knew he would never belong there again… he was a monster now, a killing machine, and nothing he ever did could repair his heart.

"Bulma? Are you in here?" a voice asked from the doorway. Bulma turned around in her chair to see Yamcha standing there, holding some flowers. "You got a second?" he asked.

Bulma sighed wearily. She had been up all night on the computer, scouring the information Goku had sent her to find any records at all of where Gohan might be. She had been locked away in her lab for so long, she didn't think of herself as being on Earth anymore, but in another ship out there in space. She had even forgotten why she had been angry with Yamcha last time he came… surely there had been a reason, hadn't there?

"Hi, Yamcha," she said groggily, stretching the soreness out of her shoulders and neck. "What's going on?" she asked, suddenly nervous that some other tragedy had befallen her friends.

Yamcha smiled. "Nothing much. Look, Bulma… I wanted to apologize for last time. I don't care anymore who was wrong and who was right… I just want things to be okay between us," he said, handing Bulma the flowers. "Do you think there's any way we could put the past behind us?" he asked.

Bulma gave a small smile as she breathed in the fragrance of the flowers. They were her favorite, and Yamcha knew that. "Yamcha… yes, I suppose so," she said, deciding it wasn't important why she was angry with him, either. Somehow, their problems with eachother seemed petty in light of what had happened… her friend Chichi was pacing her house, trying to keep up pretenses that both her husband and her son were coming home… more than once she had brought over extra food because she had been so used to cooking for Goku and Gohan.

Yamcha smiled. "Look, Bulma… I know you're probably busy, but Chichi's here, and she's more than willing to man the radio if you want to go somewhere… maybe out to eat something? Get some fresh air?"

Bulma raised an eyebrow. "With you, you mean?" she asked slyly.

Yamcha blushed. "Well, yeah, that is what I meant… So… will you come have dinner with me, Bulma?" he asked.

Bulma gave one last look at the silent radio, then looked back at Yamcha and smiled. "Sure, I'd love to," she said.

That night, Chichi sat next to the radio, staring at her hands in her lap. She would have been here more often, if she had felt she'd do any good… she didn't know much about computers, that was more Bulma's area. The thing she was best at was cooking, but there was no one to cook for… still, it kept her hands busy, and when her hands were busy, so was her mind. But sitting here, just waiting… she had a bad feeling, and nothing she told herself could get rid of it.

"Hello? Bulma, it's me, I'm just checking in. No luck with the Marin station."

"Goku?" Chichi asked, holding the button on the receiver. "Goku, it's me, Chichi."

"Chichi? Hi, is everything okay?" Goku asked softly. He knew what a toll all of this was taking on his wife. They had just settled down and started a family not long ago, and suddenly she was all alone.

Chichi swallowed, holding herself back from yelling into the receiver. "It's not fine, Goku, but I've gotten through today so far," she said.

"I think I know what you mean," Goku's voice said quietly. Chichi was shocked. She had never heard Goku sound that depressed before… he had always been upbeat and optimistic.

"What's wrong, Goku?" she asked, instinctively knowing that something bad had happened.

"It's nothing, really… just a bad dream… but it seemed so real…"

"Gohan has killed," Chichi said, her voice wavering.

"H-how…that was what my dream was about," Goku said, astonished.

Chichi did her best not to cry. "I had a dream just like it. There was a small village, and Gohan was so sad… I could almost feel him crying…"

There was a pause. "Then it wasn't a dream…" Goku said softly.

Chichi couldn't help it anymore. She began to cry. "Oh, Goku, what are we going to do? What have they done to our little boy?"

Goku's voice took on a degree of hardness. "I'm going to find him, Chichi. I promised you I would, and I will."

"No," Chichi said softly, so softly that Goku almost didn't catch it. "No, Goku, you won't."

"What do you mean?" Goku asked hesitantly.

Chichi swallowed, but knew what she had to do. "Goku… it's been almost two years now. Space is too big to find him in… and he's not…he's…"

"He's still Gohan," Goku replied, getting a sense of what his wife was saying.

Chichi bit her lip. "He's strong, Goku," she said. "And he's smart. Whatever they have done to him, he's a survivor now. We can't keep looking for him like this. We have to trust that… when the time comes, he will find us."

"Chichi… are you sure?" Goku asked after a pause.

Chichi wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yes, Goku. We did our best. We have to let him find his own way now. Come back home."

There was a longer pause, until finally Goku replied. "Okay, Chichi. I'm coming back. I… I'm sorry."

Chichi smiled sadly. "You did your best, Goku. That's all we can do."

A/N: I cried writing this. Maybe I let myself out of HFIL a little early, huh?

I'm sorry about the lack of editing… is having some problems loading when I go to edit. So, as soon as I can, I'll have everything spaced out with neat little lines, but until then, be warned that scene changes may come out of nowhere.


	9. Heart Virus

A/N: Well, here I am again. Trying to get as much of this written as humanly possible before school starts, so bear with me if it feels a little rushed. I'm trying to protect the quality of the story with my cramped schedule.

I don't own DBZ or Evanescence.

Heart Virus

A soft breeze wafted the scent of flowers to the people dancing on the balcony. Bulma smiled up at her new husband, and Yamcha smiled back. The last five years had been rocky for them, but finally the two had become accustomed to each other, and with the news that Bulma was pregnant, marriage seemed like the only sane thing for them to do. Surprisingly, it had been Yamcha's idea… Bulma hadn't wanted to tie herself down at first, but Yamcha eventually wore her down. Now she couldn't be happier.

Not far away, Goku and Chichi were dancing together, Goku watching his feet carefully so as not to step on his wife's. The two of them had grown closer over the years, Bulma thought, and even though Goku was still a restless spirit, these times of peace had kept him home more often than not, and he had even been teaching Chichi a thing or two about fighting. Which had been good for Chichi… she had never looked better, and it helped her to stay busy. Even with the passing of years, one look into either her or Goku's eyes told you that they still thought of their son, almost all the time.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Yamcha asked her, and Bulma looked back up to him.

"Oh, nothing," Bulma said, smiling. "I'm just glad we're all here, that's all…" she said, trailing off.

"Goku!" Chichi cried out, and everyone stopped dancing. She was holding up her husband, who was slumped over her shoulder. "Help me, there's something wrong with Goku!"

Bulma was by her side first, and they laid Goku down on the ground. He still had a pulse, and his breaths were faint, but his skin was cold and clammy. "Call an ambulance, quick!" Bulma said, but Krillen was already on his way. "Everybody, stand back! Give him space! Yamcha, grab some wet cloths. Cold ones. Tien, help me turn him on his side. Thanks, Yamcha. It's okay, Chichi, he'll be alright. Where's Krillen?" Bulma was in fast mode, and time seemed to go by so slowly. Where was that ambulance? 'Oh, Goku, please be okay,' she thought to herself, shouting orders at those around her just as the sound of sirens began their approach.

A minute or two later, and the ambulance crew was on the scene. Yamcha had pulled her back out of the way, and now they just held each other as Chichi followed the paramedics who were carrying Goku to the ambulance. Time seemed to stand still for a moment, and it was Bulma's mother who broke them out of their reverie with talk of bringing the food inside. Bulma nodded absently and began to grab dishes, not really registering all that had just happened. Vaguely she could make out the conversation Yamcha was having with Tien about senzu beans and whether or not they'd help. Shortly after, Tien left, and Chioutzu stayed behind… Bulma knew because he was helping her carry in food. It wasn't until Yamcha was there beside her again, holding her, that Bulma realized what had just happened. One of her friends had just fallen ill… the tragedy was happening all over again. An hour ago, she had been on top of the world… and now…

She looked up at Yamcha. "We… we should be at the hospital. With Chichi," she said, and he nodded in agreement. Krillen said that he would drive, and as they got into his old car, Bulma's emotions finally caught up with her, and she began to sob uncontrollably.

"Bulma… it's okay, it's okay, what's the matter?" Yamcha was saying. Bulma simply leaned into his chest and cried. She cried and cried, not letting up until it was all out of her system. Everything came out, all the stress and pain from the last five years, even before then, and she didn't even try to hold back. In time she realized that the car had stopped, that Yamcha was alone with her in the back seat, just holding her, and that they were in the hospital parking lot. Wiping her eyes, she smiled sheepishly at Yamcha.

"Look at me, Chichi's husband's the one who's sick, and I'm crying like a baby," she said in a broken voice.

Yamcha shook his head. "It's okay, Bulma. You've been holding a lot of that in, haven't you?" he asked gently.

Bulma's lip trembled as she nodded. "I guess I've been a little stressed lately. Oh, Yamcha… I don't want to sound selfish, but why did this have to happen tonight, of all nights?"

Yamcha smiled. "Don't worry, Bulma. Things will turn out okay. Goku will pull through this… he's pulled through a lot worse! You'll see, he'll be just fine, and soon enough we'll all be sitting around, laughing again."

Bulma's eyes shone, as her mouth began to curve into a smile. Yamcha always had a way of cheering her up, especially with that contagious smile of his. She leaned up and kissed him, then opened her car door and got out. "Chichi needs us right now," she said, and she and Yamcha headed to the front door of the hospital.

Kress scowled from his position under the space pod as Prince Vegeta tapped his foot impatiently. The ten-year-old Saiyan was putting the finishing touches on the circuitry when Vegeta spoke.

"Well, Kress, is it finished yet?" he demanded yet again. Kress fought the urge to growl at the prince as he closed the panel.

"Yes," he answered simply, and got out from under the hovering pod. "It wasn't the engine this time, the asteroid dust had compromised the circuitry. The extra plating I put over it should keep that from happening again," he said, but Vegeta cut him off with a look.

"I don't want to know what was wrong with it, I just wanted it fixed. Frieza has requested my presence immediately," he said, grimacing.

Kress nodded in understanding. From what his Uncle Radditz had told him, Frieza was even more impatient than Prince Vegeta. "It's all ready to go, sir," he said, and began to pack his tools.

Vegeta grunted and opened the door to the space pod. He was about to get in, when a thought made him pause. He looked over at Kress. "Kress… I want you to give this message to Nappa and Radditz," he said. The boy nodded. "Tell them to expect me back, or to contact them, within a month. If I don't…" he trailed off, scowling.

Kress's eyes went wide. "Prince Vegeta… are you expecting trouble?" he asked.

Vegeta merely smirked. "Always expect trouble, brat. Then you will never be surprised." With that, he entered the space pod and took off, leaving a mystified Kress standing on the dock.

Later that night, he delivered Vegeta's message to the others. Nappa looked at Radditz knowingly, and Radditz grunted back. "So… just us three, then?" he asked gruffly.

Nappa shrugged, and looked at Kress. "Hey, kid, did your uncle ever tell you about the legend of the Super Saiyan?" he asked.

Radditz snorted. "I only told Kress the legends that were true. The Super Saiyan is a child's tale," he said, stretching. They had just finished eating a very large quantity of food, and he was definitely feeling the effects.

Nappa scowled at him. "All Saiyan legends are based on truth," he insisted. Radditz merely laughed.

"So… you mean you believe in the Great White Oozaru? Or the one about the moon gods who eat cowardly children?" he asked, and Kress raised an eyebrow. Children-eating moon gods?

Rolling his eyes, Nappa turned back to Kress. "Legend tells of a Saiyan who surpassed the strength of all other Saiyans. He became so strong that his body transformed, and his hair became pure gold, and green fire came from his eyes. According to the legend, the planet Vegeta was at war with a powerful enemy, so powerful that no Saiyan could approach him without being blasted away. But one man, the legend does not say his name, trained and fought so hard, and became so enraged at this enemy, that he completely transformed, and was granted the power to completely lay waste to the enemy."

Kress thought for a moment. "And you believe this actually happened?" he asked Nappa. The question was not a skeptical one… he had learned long ago that Saiyans were capable of just about anything.

Nappa grinned. "Yeah, I do. So does Prince Vegeta," he said, shooting a glare at the skeptical Radditz. "Saiyan legends are all based on truth, whether you believe them or not. The point of any of our legends is that great things can be accomplished, and have been accomplished, if you train hard enough, steal yourself against doubt, and believe that it's possible. And no one trains harder than Prince Vegeta," he said, getting up. "Don't worry about him, kid. If he runs into trouble, he, more than any of us, will be able to handle it. He is the prince, after all." With that, Nappa walked to the door. "We leave tomorrow morning, bright and early. I'm gonna get some sleep," he said, and left.

Kress looked over at his uncle, who was smirking at the door where Nappa had been. "Super Saiyan, huh? I'll believe it when I see it."

"Uncle Radditz, why was Vegeta acting so strange?" Kress asked. "Do you think that… Frieza…"

Radditz shook his head. "I don't know, Kress. You heard Nappa, though. That overblown fool was right about one thing… if anyone can handle trouble, it's Vegeta." He stood up. "Go to bed. We have a long day tomorrow."

Kress shrugged. "I've still got work to do. The station manager wanted me to go over these specs once more before we left," he said, stifling a yawn.

Radditz scowled. "You outrank that asshole. What are you doing his work for?"

"I like the distraction," Kress said, smirking. "This new weapons system should rival even Prince Vegeta's Final Flash attack, and it's speed will be twice that of any other computer-operated system, once we get it to work," he said, barely disguising the excitement in his voice.

"You're a warrior, Kress, not a scientist," Radditz reminded him for the upteenth time. "And tomorrow, you have real work to do, even if it is less interesting than building super-weapons. The planet we are attacking will take all of us, and with Vegeta gone it will only be more difficult. You will need all of your energy," he said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Kress sighed. "Yes, Uncle," he said, and stood up himself. Suddenly, he remembered something. "One more thing…" he said, and pulled a device from his belt, handing it to Radditz. Radditz looked at it curiously, turning it over in his hands.

"An energy absorber?" he guessed. He recognized some parts from the devices used in the station's jail cell. There was only one per station… prison in Frieza's army was more like slow execution, as the prisoners were never fed. It had to have energy absorbers, of course, to keep prisoners from destroying the cell. Kress's device was much smaller than the ones used in the cell, though, and was encased in some type of air-tight clear casing.

"It's an implant," Kress said, smirking. "Undetectable by any computer. The casing melds itself with the tissue, and doesn't show up on scans. It also has a zero chance of rejection by the body," he said, obviously pleased with himself.

Radditz looked at his nephew in surprise. It hadn't been long ago when they had had the conversation about power levels. It had been Radditz's belief that Frieza feared the potential of the Saiyans, as they always got stronger after every fight they lost. Over the years, Kress's power had continued to grow, so high in fact that it rivaled Prince Vegeta's, a fact that they hid very well. As they were sent on more and more missions, they had come to realize that they would never get strong enough to destroy Frieza if they were constantly holding back their power levels.

That conversation had been less than a week ago, and now it seemed that Kress already had the answer. He smiled. "Well, done, Kress. But, wait until after tomorrow's mission to test it… as I said, we will need all the strength we can get."

Kress nodded soberly and placed the device back in his belt pouch. He knew better than to over-estimate an opponent… he had a wicked scar over his left eye to attest to that. Radditz had refused to let him regenerate it, saying that it would be a constant reminder of his error. Kress's eye twitched just thinking about it.

Lying awake in his bed, Kress knew that, despite his uncle's wishes, he would get no sleep tonight. He had slept the night before, and he knew his body well enough to know he couldn't sleep two nights in a row. He wasn't really sure why this was… he suspected it was the nightmares that constantly haunted him. His mind refused to sleep, unless his body was so physically exhausted that it could do nothing else, and even then he only slept a few hours at a time. Often times he would attribute it to nerves before a big battle whenever Radditz asked, but he knew that wasn't the case. He was afraid to sleep, that's all there was to it.

Instead, he meditated. Closing his eyes, he cleared his mind of all else except for the upcoming battle. Simulation after simulation ran through his mind as he planned each move, orchestrated each counter-attack in his mind. Prince Vegeta wouldn't be there, so he wouldn't have to hold back as much, but Nappa would, and Kress knew he could not trust him to stay quiet to Vegeta. Tomorrow he would have to be very careful, especially if he were pressed. His energy level depended largely on his emotions, Radditz had told him, and so controlling his emotions was key. He couldn't let the fury of battle force him to betray his true power level.

Visions of women and children running away screaming broke into his thoughts, and he pushed them aside forcefully. He couldn't think of that now… he had to be focused, completely calm tomorrow. He could mourn the dead when he slept. If he ever did.

A/N: Okay, what do you guys think? I've been trying to give the impression of time passing without the "five years later…" thing at the beginning of the chapter. Tell me if I get too confusing… I want to be explicative, but in a subtle way, know what I mean? By the way, thank you very much for all your kind reviews. Don't be afraid to flame, just be specific. You know the drill. I have an outline, but I'm following it roughly, so if you have any suggestions (other than putting Videl in this story… it's just not going to happen, I'm sorry) for a part of the story that I haven't gotten to yet, please tell me, and I'll see what I can do. Um, also, I'm not turning this into a cross-over fic. I may write one in the future, but not this story. Besides, too much stuff happens in this story as it is, and a cross-over should start at the beginning of the story. Also, I plan to write a sequel to this story. I am looking for plot ideas for it… I already know who the main characters are, and I was going to put a confrontation between Kress and Kakarrot… what do you think?


	10. Frieza

A/N: Okay… I goofed. I've just been informed that Vegeta didn't create the Final Flash attack until after he came to Earth. And I call myself a Vegeta fan… shows what I know. If you guys don't mind, I'll go back and change it later… I don't want to confuse anyone. It isn't important to me which attack is mentioned in that chapter… I was just trying to use a powerful attack done by Vegeta, to be used as a comparison with Kress's new weapon system. The point is, (and I probably didn't express this well) that, while all the Saiyans admire and respect Vegeta, between Radditz and Kress there is a slight conspiracy when it comes to matters of power levels, particularly since Kress's has really been approaching and nearly surpassing Vegeta's. Neither of them are stupid… they don't want Prince Vegeta to find out that the child of a third-class weakling is as powerful as he is. I don't think I expressed this either, but it's been Radditz's hope that they would all become so powerful. That is what they've been training for, after all. Speaking of which, don't forget that these guys are Saiyans… just because Vegeta never set foot on Earth didn't mean he stopped training. Vegeta was in the business of getting progressively stronger long before he met Kakarrot; Kakarrot turning Super Saiyan just gave him yet another reason to do so, and a more realistic view of his goal. Remember, you first heard about the legend of the Super Saiyan from Vegeta when he was on Namek… he had thought he was a Super Saiyan before Kakarrot showed up with yellow hair. He had been shooting for that goal all his life. Also, they are always going out on dangerous missions, so it's only logical that they will be stronger at this point than Vegeta was on Namek. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the Z fighters… a lot of the reason they are as strong as they are was because of Kami and King Kai, neither of which can help them in my story (King Kai because they haven't met him yet, and Kami because he died when Piccollo died).

I didn't mean to go on so long, but I hope I cleared some stuff up. Thanks to any hypothetical readers who may or may not be pointing things like this out to me… I would very much like to be, but sadly am not, a DBZ expert. One day, perhaps, but not today. I appreciate being told these things… that way I can change them before they become too embedded in my plot to fix. Once again, thank you.

Now, on with the story!

Frieza

Frieza gazed coolly out at the stars as he saw the approach of the errant Saiyan Prince in the reflection on the viewport. He did not turn around right away… such tasks as the one that lay before him, while necessary, did not demand the utmost importance. His empire spanned a great distance, and between him, his father, and his brother, they controlled a good portion of the known universe. Most people feared and revered him, some even worshipped him… so one Saiyan betrayer wouldn't make much difference in the grand scheme of things. But still… better to deal with these things before they became an issue, rather than have a mess to clean up afterwards.

"Prince Vegeta," he said softly, still watching the Saiyan's reflection as he knelt. "My people tell me you've been busy." He smiled slowly. "Tell me… how is the newest edition to your little group working out?"

Vegeta hated small talk. "Kress has become a warrior. His power is almost the same as his uncle's," Vegeta stated simply. If Frieza had something to tell him, he wished he would just come out and say it.

Frieza raised an eyebrow. "Really? At such a young age? Hybrid Saiyans must have some benefits after all. I wonder why your race hadn't thought of creating more of them sooner…"

Vegeta gritted his teeth, but remained outwardly calm. Frieza knew full well why the Saiyans would never purposely mix their blood with that of other species… he simply wished to goad Vegeta into making a mistake. He wasn't falling for it.

When Vegeta remained silent, Frieza shrugged. "Ah, well, the Saiyans were never really thinkers, now, were they…" he trailed off, turning to face Vegeta. "Let's take your planned coup against me, for instance."

So… he did know. Vegeta wasn't surprised. There were enough reasons for the Saiyan survivors to hate Frieza for him to suspect something like that by motive alone. He scowled. "Frieza, half your army wants to take you down. Surely you know that," he spat.

Frieza's mouth curved upward at his statement. "Of course, Vegeta. The only way to control an army is through fear, and even you, the great Saiyan prince, are still afraid of me." He approached Vegeta, who was still kneeling, and, circled behind him, admiring a painting on the wall. "As well you should be. I don't only hold your life in my hands, after all… I hold much, much more." Turning, he grabbed Vegeta around the throat with his tail and slammed him into the wall that held the painting. He gazed at the Saiyan, who was grabbing at his tail, trying desperately to breathe. "I don't tolerate division in my ranks, no matter how expected it is," he said slickly, tightening his grip. "You've been building a small army, waiting to grow stronger, until you could defeat me. Isn't that the plan, anyway?" Snarling, he let Vegeta go, and the prince fell to the floor. "I've been keeping an eye on your newest pet. And I must say, his power level is much, much higher than Radditz's. It's closer to yours," he said, turning away from the Saiyan so he could see his reflection once again in the viewport. He saw the look of surprise on Vegeta's face, followed by a deep scowl. "So, they've been conspiring against you, too?" he asked, laughter in his voice. "Well, well, I guess you can't trust anybody, can you?"

By this time, Vegeta was back on his feet. Frieza turned around. "I didn't say you could stand," he said menacingly.

Vegeta merely smirked. "You started this, Frieza. Now I'm going to finish it." With that, he powered up, disappearing as Frieza ran at him. Appearing behind him, he sent an elbow crashing into the back of Frieza's neck.

Frieza just stood there for a moment, then turned his head to look at Vegeta. "Now, now, you're not trying to attack me, are you?" he asked evilly.

Vegeta flew back, narrowly avoiding Frieza's whip-like tail, and began firing energy blasts at the Ice-jinn. He knew he was in trouble from the start… even if he had been strong enough to take on Frieza himself, he wouldn't be able to do it on this ship… the firepower necessary would destroy the ship's hull, leaving them in the vacuum of space. There Frieza would have the advantage… Vegeta couldn't breathe in space, but Frieza didn't need to breathe, and could easily survive the vacuum.

But it wasn't important. Vegeta knew Frieza was going to kill him… the Saiyan Prince simply preferred to die fighting.

Frieza didn't seem to want to cooperate, however, as he merely stood there, withstanding all of the Saiyan's blasts with ease. Suddenly, he was behind Vegeta, and the next moment Vegeta was on the ground, unconscious.

A door opened, and Zarbon walked in. Frieza gestured to the fallen prince. "Zarbon, take our guest to the holding cell. Turn the energy absorbers to maximum. I'm curious…"

Zarbon raised an eyebrow. "About what, Lord Frieza?" he asked.

Frieza smiled. "If a Saiyan can starve to death." At Zarbon's confused look, he continued. "Some creatures are incapable of it, you know, especially species with strong survival instincts. They will eat their own flesh before they starve… "

Zarbon's eyes got wide, but he covered it with a sadistic smile. "Right away, Lord Frieza," he said, picking up the Saiyan prince. Leaving the room, he swallowed. 'Note to self… do not piss off Lord Frieza,' he thought to himself, as he took the Saiyan to the holding cell.

Kress scowled as he hovered in the air, straining his senses to locate his attacker. Radditz hadn't been kidding… this planet's residents were dangerous, and he found himself wishing more and more for his leader's presence. They had tried transforming into their Oozaru forms, but the people on this planet were smart as well as strong… they had created a field which blocked the bluntz wave emanations of not only their five moons, but also of the Saiyans' personal bluntz-wave devices. Kress knew that, even if there had been a pause in the fighting long enough for him to attack the machines that were blocking the bluntz-waves, there hundreds of them, and many were hidden. No, the only way to do this was in their normal forms.

His scouter, which was useless against the fighters on this planet, picked up Radditz and Nappa not far away. So, they were re-grouping. Casting about with his senses one last time, Kress made his way quickly to where the others were hovering, fighting at least ten attackers back-to-back.

Powering up an energy blast, Kress fired at one of the green, reptile-like fighters as it rushed towards Nappa, who was currently fighting off two other attackers. The blast made contact, but only caused the fighter to come rushing toward Kress instead. Good. Kress waited for it to get close enough, then focused his energy into one hand and, imbedding it in the chest of his opponent, he blasted away all of its internal organs. A blank look entered the being's eyes, and he let the blast grow to disintegrate the rest of the body. In a flash he was beside his uncle and Nappa, his back to both of them. "Their skin is resistant to energy… you have to kill them from the inside out," he informed them by way of greeting, and was soon fighting off two attackers at the same time. Grabbing one with each hand, he allowed his tail to act as a stinger and punctured both of them with it, and allowed his energy to flow through his tail this time. Both attackers exploded, but there were three more to take their place. Kress wrapped his tail around his waist again, and created a shield to block the energy blasts that ensued.

"We have to get out of here," Radditz said to Nappa, who, with Vegeta's absence, was in charge. "They were ready for us… they have us outnumbered and out-gunned. We can't beat them without Prince Vegeta… even with him, we may not be able to win."

Nappa scowled as he took Kress's advice and drove his fist into the head of one of the attackers, then blew him up from the inside out. Grinning, he shot back, "We're not giving up. We can beat these things. We're Saiyans!" he shouted, then left the group to attack more of the creatures.

"Nappa!" Radditz shouted, but was unable to finish as nearly twenty of the planet's fighters appeared, and Kress and Radditz hovered back to back, each one contributing to the shield around them. Nappa had killed three of the green warriors before another swarm of them engulfed him, and they heard a cry as Nappa was struck by seven energy blasts simultaneously. "Nappa!" Kress yelled, but it was too late. Nappa was gone.

"We have to get out of here," Radditz said to Kress, who was scowling, anger evident on his face. Kress barely acknowledged Radditz, and Radditz could sense a sudden rise in his power level. His scouter was going berserk, and he turned it off to keep it from distracting him. Suddenly, Kress was crying out, and Radditz felt a jolt as Kress's power level jumped up even higher. He had never seen Kress this powerful… Kress seemed to be pulling more and more power from deep within himself, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw something he would never forget… Kress's hair turned to gold.

Kress held nothing back. He knew he had power… Radditz had told him enough times of his potential. He used it now, demanding more and more from within him. Finally, his attention turned to the green creatures around him.

His scouter was crushed, somehow he had damaged it either in the fight, or from powering up. He took it off now and held it in one hand. Crushing it into pieces, he opened his hand, and caused each fragment to hover in front of him. With a cry, he used his energy to push a fragment of the scouter into each of the fighters. As the fragments penetrated their bodies, Kress lifted his arms, and each fragment exploded, taking an attacker with them.

They kept coming, but Kress was ready for them. As his strength increased, so did his speed, and each alien he came to, he tore in half. The lifeless pieces fell to the ground, but before they made it, Kress would shoot energy blasts at them, blowing them up. It soon became necessary for Kress to find opponents to fight, and the search only made his anger grow. He destroyed city after city, never pausing, until he felt Radditz's hand on his shoulder.

"It's over, Kress. You did it… they're all gone," he said simply. Nappa had been right… the legend must be true. Kress looked at him with green eyes that burned like fire. Suddenly, his eyes returned to normal, his hair became black again, and he collapsed in Radditz's arms.

Radditz smirked. "If only you could have seen him, Nappa," he remarked to the air around him, then looked down at the boy in his arms. "I'm proud of you, nephew," he said, then pressed the button on the device on his belt that would call his space pod. He pressed the one on Kress's belt as well, and soon two space pods appeared, landing on the ground below them. Radditz placed Kress in one, and got into the other, entering commands that would take them both back to the nearest station.

A/N: Man, I'm gonna be late. I just had to get this chapter done, or I'd be thinking about it all day today at work. I gotta go… thanks to all who reviewed. Especially to one… you know who you are blushes . Anyways, tell me what you think. I'll fix all errors in previous chapters as soon as I've finished writing this section of the story… and for all of you who found my story by looking for Goten, don't worry… he'll show up very soon.


	11. Escape

A/N: Well, here I am again. I suppose it's time I destroyed the Earth… I'd like to keep it around, of course, but then we'd have a happy-happy-joy-joy story, which this is not. Now… the Supreme Kai has something he wants to say.

Supreme Kai: Do… do I have to?

Me: Look, you're the one who locked me up in HFIL, buddy, you owe me one.

Supreme Kai: But you're evil! You just said you were going to destroy the Earth!

Me: For the last time, I'm not evil! Now, just ask the question!

Supreme Kai: (clears throat). Um, do any of you… well… think that Gohan should have a… um… love interest? (blushes) Why does it matter if he has a love interest? He gets defeated in the end, doesn't he? That's what my vision showed!

Me: I'm not telling you the future, Supreme Kai. You'll just have to find out for yourself.

Supreme Kai: So, why couldn't you ask the question?

Me: I'm not allowed to ask my readers questions! Are you crazy?

Supreme Kai: Well… one of us is….

Me: (glaring) You hush. Now, go on, you're in this chapter, so get back to your little planet.

Supreme Kai: Great. Now I'm taking orders from an evil egomaniac with powers to completely alter the universe to her every whim. Where did I go wrong?

Escape

Bulma swallowed hard as she watched a crying Chichi pull the sheet over her husband's head. Goku was gone… he had held out as long as he could, fighting against the mysterious heart virus with everything he had, but in the end, it hadn't been enough. Goku had been her friend, but Bulma could cry no tears for him. All her tears had been cried today for Yamcha.

The last month had been pure HFIL. No, scratch that… HFIL was nothing compared to what they had been through. Not long after Goku had fallen ill, two androids had appeared, destroying everything in their path. They were strong… too strong. No one knew who created them, or why… only that they enjoyed killing and destruction, and did both well. Krillen, Tien, Chioutzu… Yamcha… they were gone. Her parents… they wouldn't even get to shelter, they insisted on staying with their pets. No one was safe… and now, with Goku gone, there was absolutely no chance of survival.

Bulma rubbed her extended belly gently. Her child would never know what life was like, what the sun looked like in the morning, what the theory of relativity was or what sand felt like under your feet. A month ago, life was a new beginning for her… now she was looking at the end of everything.

She looked up to see Chichi standing beside her. She looked worn, but her eyes showed only concern for her. "Bulma, you should sit down," she said softly. Bulma sighed. Ever since all that had happened, Chichi's mothering streak had been turned toward her. She was so used to taking care of her family… and now they were all gone…

"I'm okay, Chichi, really. We should get back underground," she added, knowing full well that, while the shelter they had been hiding in was good for tornadoes and nuclear war, it wouldn't save them from two killer androids. Nothing would.

Just then, someone appeared before them. Neither Bulma nor Chichi reacted… they had been surprised too much in the past month, there was no surprise left in them. Mr. Popo smiled at them sadly.

"Is there no one left?" he asked. Bulma shook her head. He sighed. "I believe I know a way for you to leave the planet," he said slowly, not sure what kind of impact the news would have on the two women.

Capsule Corp had been one of the first places the androids had come to… it was a large building, and was also where the strongest fighters were. There was nothing left of it… nothing left of any of the city. The Z fighters had kept the androids distracted long enough for Chichi and Bulma to make their escape with the sick Goku, but the two women knew their fate before they had even gotten out of the city. When the thought of escaping the planet had crossed Bulma's mind, it had already been too late, as there were no ships capable of space flight anywhere else, and Capsule Corp had been reduced to ash. Not even the Saiyan space pod Goku had used had survived the blast.

It was Chichi who spoke first. "Yes… Bulma, come on. If there's a way to get you and the baby off planet, we have to do it."

Bulma nodded, not noticing how Chichi had excluded herself from that statement. "Okay… Mr. Popo, what do we need to do?" she asked.

Mr. Popo smiled. "Before Kami died, he had told me that he came here to Earth from another planet. He used to speak in another language, the language of another race. His ship had landed far up in the north, and he traveled very far before he met anyone else. It was a long time ago, but the ship may still be operational."

"Well, that's great!" Chichi said. "I'll go pack some warm clothes and food." Without waiting for a response, she was off. Bulma shook her head. It was good for Chichi to stay busy… she knew that the widow hadn't fully mourned the death of her husband. Vaguely she wondered if she had finished mourning the death of hers.

"I'm sorry I did not get here sooner," Mr. Popo said, glancing into the room where Goku lay.

"Will you be coming with us, Mr. Popo?" Bulma asked, concerned.

Mr. Popo merely shook his head. "My place is here. I won't leave the lookout." Chichi approached them with an armful of capsules. "We must hurry… the androids could be here any moment."

They followed Mr. Popo to the window, where a carpet was hovering. "It's a magic carpet. Don't be afraid… get on."

Hesitantly the two women got onto the carpet, Chichi helping Bulma along. Mr. Popo got on last, and in no time they were flying faster than Bulma had ever gone before. Soon they were over a frigid wasteland, and Chichi gave Bulma one of the blankets she had brought before putting one around herself. "We are here," Popo said, and the carpet lowered near a strange looking space ship.

Bulma was amazed, and nearly jumped off the carpet in excitement. The age of that ship… it had to be ancient, and yet, the metal seemed resistant to corrosion. Mr. Popo said something in another language, and the doors opened. It was pretty big, and once they were inside and the lights were on, Bulma knew she was home. Question after question she asked Mr. Popo, until she had gotten the navigational panel to turn on.

"I can't read these symbols, but translating them shouldn't be too hard. This technology is so different than ours… I wonder if these are the coordinates for Kami's home planet?" she asked aloud, mostly to herself, but Mr. Popo felt compelled to answer.

"I can tell you all I can remember of Kami's language, but I'm afraid it isn't much. Do you think you'll be able to fly it?" he asked.

Bulma smiled. "I've never met a machine I couldn't fix," she said optimistically. For their sake, she hoped so.

The last month had been pure HFIL, Kress thought as he watched his uncle pace the floor. Vegeta's time to contact them had lapsed the day before, and both Radditz and Kress knew that something had happened to their prince. And that something was Frieza.

Kress scowled. "Uncle… we shouldn't be here! We should be going after Frieza… he already knows we've been conspiring against him, and Vegeta's already dead," he said, finding it hard to say that last part. "We're next on his list, and you know it!"

Radditz scowled in thought. "Kress… it's been a month since Vegeta left. Why do you think Frieza hasn't come after us before now?" he asked.

Kress was at a loss. Of course, Frieza could have sent his men after them at any time… hell, they were on a space station full of them! "But… do you think Frieza doesn't know?" he asked.

"Of course he knows," Radditz said, rolling his eyes. "Think, Kress. Frieza is the most intelligent opponent we will ever face… you have to learn to think like him, to predict his next move."

Kress nodded, scowling. He placed himself in the position of the Ice-jinn. After a moment, he had it. "He's waiting for us to make our move on him first," he said.

Radditz nodded. "He's expecting it. And he's right to… we're Saiyans, after all. We will avenge our people, our prince."

Anger welled up within Kress at the thought of what had happened to Vegeta, but he held it back. "We can't come straight for him if he's expecting it… we have to use subterfuge," Kress said, voicing the thought his uncle obviously had.

"That's right. It will take longer, but we have to get him to let down his guard. Kress… do you still have that energy absorber implant?" Radditz asked.

Smirking, Kress took it from the pouch on his belt. "I built a remote device to it, so that the user can turn it on or off," he said, handing both to Radditz.

Radditz looked at the remote, then nodded at Kress. "It's time. If we can keep our power levels low enough, we can leave this place undetected, and disappear from Frieza's radar. When we're close enough, and he least expects it, we'll make our move," he said, excitement in his eyes.

Kress nodded, smiling. "I'll go first," he said, and took the absorber from Radditz, making small adjustments. When he handed it back, Radditz's eyes went wide.

"That much? Will you even be able to walk?" he asked, concerned not only for his nephew, but also for the success of their mission were Kress to be incapacitated.

Kress nodded. "I've accounted for everything, Uncle. If the absorber doesn't absorb all but a small amount of the user's energy, it will malfunction," he explained.

Radditz was still impressed. The fact that his nephew's energy level was so high to begin with was astounding. "We'll have to do this here… if we go to the med lab, we will be noticed."

"I understand," Kress said, and cleared off a table, taking off his shirt and lying down on top of it. "Just make it quick," he said, dreading what would come next. "It will have to be near the heart… that way it will show no variation of energy throughout the body, and the palpitations will help disguise it from sensors."

Radditz nodded. "Don't bite your tongue," he warned, then, using his senses to tell him where to cut, focused a narrow beam of energy into his finger and made the incision.

Kress gasped, but stayed very still as his uncle cut into his chest. The room around him seemed hazy, but he fought to keep conscious. If they got caught while Radditz was doing this, they would need to run.

As soon as Radditz had reached the correct spot, he placed the implant deep within Kress's chest. Kress could feel a slight pinching pain as he did this, but focused on something else to keep himself from passing out. Radditz closed the wound by cauterizing it with energy from his hand, and placed a bandage over it, wiping away all the blood that had spilled from the wound during the operation. "How do you feel?" he asked, not liking the pale tint of Kress's skin.

Kress smirked. "I've been worse," he said, and moved to sit up, but Radditz held him down.

"Your body's weak from the trauma, you should rest a moment," he said, looking at the remote in his hand. "We should wait before turning this on…" he started, but Kress shook his head.

"No, we don't have time. Look, Uncle, I've got to get used to it. Turn it on," he said, sitting up slowly so he would be in a position to get up when Radditz activated the energy absorber.

Radditz pushed the button. Kress could feel his energy slipping away from him slowly, and soon it was difficult to even breathe. Despite this, Kress stayed sitting up, using sheer will to keep his eyes open. Radditz was about to turn it back off, when Kress shook his head. "No, I'm fine," he breathed. "Just… have to get used to it…" he said slowly.

"Now, that's an interesting device," a voice said coldly from across the room. Radditz and Kress looked up to see Vegeta standing there, scowling.

A/N: Muwahahahahaha! See, I can do the cliffy thing, too! Hahahahaa! (laughs maniacally) Questions? Comments? Call 1-800-REVIEW.

Supreme Kai: Hey, didn't you say I was going to be in this chapter?

Me: Sorry, I had to change my mind. This chapter has become two chapters, so I'm afraid you won't show up until next chapter, or maybe a chapter after that.

Supreme Kai: Come on, the suspense is killing me!


	12. Endings and Beginnings

A/N: Well, I'm a bit hung over, but I'm here. Still no headway on the editing problems… I'm sorry guys, but it looks like nothing I do can make any kind of partition between scene changes. If you have any suggestions, please tell me… otherwise, I'm still waiting for the website's administrators to fix the problem.

You've probably noticed a lack of Evanescence lyrics… I'm kinda saving them, that, and I've been trying to just get these chapters online before school starts. Also, this chapter represents the end, really, to the first section of my story… after this the story will focus more on Goten, and we won't see much of Gohan at all. Don't worry, he'll be back, but not for a good while. So my question is, should I get started on the next part of the story, and stop it in the middle when school starts, or should I not post any more chapters until I have enough time to finish the next part? What do you think? (something tells me I know the answer to this…)

Endings and Beginnings

Kress's eyes widened as he saw Vegeta standing in the doorway. He was different, Kress could sense it as well as see it. Before them stood what appeared to be a mere shadow of the prince they had served all these years… much of his face had been scarred over, and Kress was certain at least one of his legs was mechanical. But much more than that, his eyes were different… they were always cold, but where before there had been pride and confidence, now there was…evil. Pure evil, that was the only way to describe it. And there was something else…

Radditz had been the first to notice it. "V-vegeta! What did Frieza do to you? What happened to… your tail?"

It was true. Where Vegeta's tail had been, now there was half a tail, and what was left was charred, hanging limply behind him. Vegeta merely scowled, and after a long moment, began to walk toward Radditz.

"Exactly when were you planning to tell me?" he asked, ice in his voice. Glancing at Kress, he smirked, then his eyes went to the remote in Radditz's hand. "You were going to destroy Frieza and take the glory for yourself," he said, scowling back up at Radditz.

Something disturbed Radditz. This wasn't the Vegeta that they knew. "What does it matter, my prince? If Frieza is defeated, then our people are avenged."

Vegeta bared his teeth at Radditz, then in a flash the remote was no longer in Radditz's hands, but in his. He smirked, looking down at it. Then, eyes firmly on Kress, who watched helplessly, he closed his hand into a fist, crushing the remote.

"No!" Radditz exclaimed, rushing at Vegeta. Vegeta merely smirked and, in a flash, he was behind Radditz. Radditz cried out as a burning hole appeared in his chest, and he fell, revealing Vegeta standing behind him with his hand outstretched.

"Uncle!" Kress cried out, and managed to stand up just barely, the energy drainer preventing him from doing much else. He looked back at Vegeta. "Why? He was loyal to you!"

Vegeta scowled at this. "Loyal? The two of you have been conspiring against me from the start. Your power level was much higher than you let on, though now…" he said, a grin spreading on his face. "You're weaker than that sniveling child I laid eyes on seven years ago!" In a flash Kress was against the wall, and Vegeta's hand was at his throat. He could barely lift his arms, though he tried as his air supply was cut off. "I should kill you," he said, his face barely an inch away from Kress's. "But then, that would be no fun, would it?" he asked, and dropped the boy. Picking Kress up again, he grabbed a fistful of his hair and forced him to look on the body of his dead uncle. "Radditz was a fool… do you know why he's dead?" he asked.

Kress scowled. "Because you killed him," he spat.

"No! He died because he had grown too attached to you!" He smirked. "He was so concerned about you and your precious remote that he dropped his guard. You see, Kress… he _loved_ you," he said, grimacing as he said the word. "Love is a weakness."

He narrowed his eyes, then dropped Kress again, placing his foot on the boy's neck so that his face was a foot away from the lifeless face of his uncle. "Repeat it! Love is a weakness!"

Kress could barely breathe. "W-why are you doing this?" he managed, but the pressure of Vegeta's boot on his neck only increased. Finally, he could take no more. "Okay… Love is a weakness," he said, as he started to black out.

Vegeta's boot eased up a little, but did not leave Kress's neck. "Again," he said, and Kress repeated the phrase, over and over, for nearly an hour. When Vegeta had had enough, he lifted his foot and kicked Kress hard in the stomach. Kress struggled to breathe as Vegeta took out a knife and began to cut the flesh from Radditz's carcass.

"W-what are you doing?" Kress gasped from the floor. A puddle of blood had begun to grow beneath Radditz as Vegeta cut, and nearly reached where he was lying.

Vegeta smirked. "Waste not, want not," he said morbidly, and Kress watched in horror as he completely carved every bit of flesh from Radditz's bones, leaving only a skeleton and torn armor lying in a pool of blood. Kress noted sickly that the amount of flesh was enough to completely fill a seven-gallon food storage unit, which was where Vegeta was putting it all. He tried hard not to think of it as the remains of his uncle, but was unable to keep the thought from his mind. All the times they had fought together, laughed together… and Vegeta was treating him like some beast he had hunted.

"You're a monster," Kress said. Vegeta stopped his work and turned back to him, cocking his head.

"Just wait," he said sadistically, and plunged the knife into Kress's shoulder. Kress cried out. "I think I'll keep you alive," he said, twisting the knife so that the boy cried out again. "I have so much to teach you about pain."

Kress swallowed at the evil glint in Vegeta's eyes, at the horror that hid behind them. Whatever Frieza had done to Vegeta, it had completely obliterated the person he had known. Frieza had created a monster out of Vegeta, and now Vegeta was going to create one out of him.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Chichi held her aching shoulder, moving it to work out the kinks. Bulma had been working at the ship's computer for a while now, and was very close to completely repairing the damage that was done by the crash-landing it had received, and time. Mr. Popo had left for the Lookout after Bulma had successfully created a new user interface that used their own language. The rest was just basic repairs, all of which Bulma insisted on fixing before they left. Chichi wanted to help, but she had never been good with electronics… which was one of the reasons she had pushed Gohan so hard in his studies when he was a boy…

For some reason, thinking of Gohan made her shoulder hurt even more…

Now her Goku was gone, too. Chichi needed something to do… she couldn't keep thinking of the past, or they would never get out of here. Instead, she began to go through the ship, checking out what would be available to them while they were in space. There wasn't much space, but there was another room separate from the main one… that was probably for private things, but Chichi didn't know enough about Kami to know what kind of things that would entail. No, it looked like the women would have to partition off parts of the main room if they wanted any kind of privacy, which shouldn't be too much of an issue as they were both women, but would still be nice to have.

"Done!" Bulma called out, just as they felt the ground rumble beneath them. "What's that?" she asked, trying to hold herself steady.

"The androids!" Chichi cried, and Bulma quickly pressed some buttons on the computer panel in front of her. In no time, they felt the ship begin to move, and Chichi held onto the chair in the center of the room. Bulma made her way to it, also, and the two of them held on for dear life as the ship blasted off through the planet's atmosphere. When they were clear, the shaking stopped, and the gravity within the ship returned to normal. Bulma stood up, as did Chichi, and they looked at the viewport. Behind them the Earth was getting smaller and smaller, and Chichi smiled slightly. Her husband was there, on that planet… all she had ever known was there, and now she was leaving it. She had considered staying there, dying with her husband, but something within her told her that surviving would be the best way. Someone had to take care of Bulma, after all… her new baby would be coming soon, and if she weren't there, who would deliver it? It felt good to be needed… taking care of others was all she'd ever done, ever since her mother died when she was young. And, who knows? Maybe, if fate was kind, she'd be re-united with her son?

Bulma laid a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Chichi, we made it. Whatever we leave behind, it's time to start over now… they would want us to."

Chichi nodded, smiling, holding back tears. They had a new life ahead of them… they were the last of their kind, and the universe was a big place. Who knew what could happen?


	13. Change

A/N: Well, here I am again. Man, am I a blight on this earth, or what? Anyways, I figured out that o's carry over onto the site, while commas and other punctuation do not. So, that's why all the o's. I was also wrong about the last chapter being the last one in that section of the story… I had forgotten certain key events that could not be handled in flashbacks alone. So… more continuity. Needless to say, I don't really know where this story will take me… once I started it, it began to take on its own destiny. I only hope it turns out happy like I keep promising…

I don't own DBZ.

Change

Bulma gazed out of the viewport as it showed a single cylindrical object floating out in space. She remembered when those stars had brought her hope… now all she seemed to see was death.

The last year had brought her more pain and loss than she had ever experienced. How long ago was it when her biggest worries had been keeping Master Roshi and Oolong in check and finding the dragon balls? When Goku and Krillen trained to fight in tournaments, not against evil monsters bent on destroying the Earth? When, if there had been trouble, all she had to do was step back and let her friends take care of it, and everyone knew that, through enough determination and optimism, things would work out in the end?

Now they were all gone… and so was her friend Chichi.

A single tear fell down Bulma's face. She didn't know where it had come from… she had honestly thought she had no more left to cry. It fell from her face onto the face of a tiny bundle in her arms… Chichi's last legacy. Looking down, she saw the tiny red face, almost hidden under a mess of unruly black hair, and out of the blankets he was wrapped in came a tiny brown tail which wrapped around her wrist. Dark eyes looked up at her, and Bulma smiled in spite of herself. Goten. Chichi had wanted him to be named for his father, much like she had named her other son, Gohan. There hadn't been much time after the birth before she passed, and she had given Bulma her final instructions as quickly as she could. She had wanted Bulma to make sure Goten learned how to fight… she had felt that, if she had been that way with Gohan, he might never have been taken. She wanted him to grow up happy… and, she had wanted Bulma to do what she could to keep the two of their children together.

Bulma turned to where her daughter, Pel, lay asleep. She was adorable… tiny locks of purple hair curled around her head, and eyes that were normally a striking shade of violet closed now in sleep. Her hand was in her mouth, curled into a fist, and she had kicked the covers off of her again. Reaching down with her free hand, Bulma replaced them, then looked down to see if Goten was asleep yet. He was still watching her with those dark brown eyes, and Bulma smiled.

"I wish Chichi could have seen you," she whispered softly to him as she rocked him gently, hoping he would get off to sleep soon. "You look just like your father. They both would have been so happy," she said. She wondered if they were looking down on her right now. "Don't worry… I'll take good care of him, Chichi," she said to the viewport, where the small coffin was almost out of sight. "I promise."

A soft snore broke her out of her thoughts, and she saw that Goten was finally asleep. Placing him in the crib next to Pel, she returned to the computer and entered in some commands. A forcefield appeared around the make-shift crib, to make sure that neither of the children fell out in their sleep. Stretching, Bulma entered the commands that would place the ship on autopilot, and stretched out on the floor next to where the children were sleeping. She would never leave them, she promised herself… never again would she let anyone close to her die. She had lost everyone else…

With troubled thoughts and hope for the future, Bulma drifted off to sleep.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The Supreme Kai stood alone on the hill, aware that his friend Kibito was approaching. He smiled. "So… what do you think?" he asked when Kibito came to stand beside him.

The tall warrior smiled, nodding. "You're right… the child looks almost exactly like him."

Supreme Kai smiled. "It's him, then. I knew it… when he is old enough, we will bring him here to train."

"Bring him here?" Kibito asked, alarmed. "But…the child's a mortal! Mortals can't set foot on this sanctuary… it's sacred!"

Supreme Kai merely smiled at his long-time friend. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, Kibito. The child Goten is the hero from my vision… and you do remember the prophecy concerning the Z sword?"

Kibito scowled. "I thought a Kai was supposed to wield that sword!" he said gruffly. He remembered his own attempts at pulling the stubborn sword from its rock… not even the Supreme Kai had been able to do it.

Supreme Kai shrugged. "So it has always been assumed, but the prophecy says nothing to that effect. Whoever wields that sword will have the strongest power in the universe… and from what I saw, he will need all the help he can get."

"Hmmm… so, you're sure this great evil will be the end of the universe?" Kibito asked, trying to hide the skepticism in his voice. Great evils had come and gone many times before, and with a few exceptions, the universe had survived just fine without the Supreme Kai's direct influence. Influencing things was dangerous for them… they had to let the side of good become strong enough to defend itself.

The Supreme Kai nodded. "Kibito, in the vision I saw, there were no stars behind this Saiyan. He had obliterated them all. You know how big the universe is… he would have had to be immensely powerful to do all that. We have no choice in this matter but to interfere… the fate of the universe depends on it."

Kibito stood in resigned silence for a long moment. Suddenly, something occurred to him. "Wait… this boy… isn't he a Saiyan?" he asked in alarm. "How do you know he isn't the same one we're supposed to stop?"

Supreme Kai lifted a hand, and a crystal ball floated up into it. Holding the ball with both hands, he focused his thoughts. Soon a picture appeared in the ball, and Kibito leaned in to see it. "Because, the one we're supposed to stop is here," he said.

In the ball they saw a picture of a young boy, no older than twelve, with a deep scar over one eye. He was asleep, sleeping fitfully, and was obviously having a nightmare. He was dressed in Saiyan armor, and looked bad, as though he had been fighting against a very powerful enemy. Supreme Kai looked up at Kibito. "He's the one from my vision… the scar on his eye is the same. He's the one who will destroy the universe."

Kibito scowled. "But… he's just a child. Surely we can change all of this by going after him now?"

Supreme Kai shook his head. "Believe me, Kibito, I've wanted to, but I can't. As much as I hate it, we have to let things work themselves out in this way. The only way I can interfere is by training Goten when he's older… and I have to be careful about when and how I do that."

Kibito looked back into the ball. "But… what will happen to turn this boy into such a powerful monster? I can sense barely any power in him at all!"

Supreme Kai sighed. "I don't know, Kibito… but whatever it is, it is happening now. I only hope that, whenever the events in my vision take place, we are ready for it."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Kress's eyes shot open. He'd been locked down in this hole for months, with no real food or water. His stomach turned as his eyes fell over the empty food container… after the first few weeks of being down here, he fully understood what Radditz had always told him about Saiyans being able to do anything… all of Radditz's remains were gone. He had tried to stave off his hunger as long as he could, and not being a full-blooded Saiyan had helped a little, but in the end, he could not fight his instincts. Hunger had nearly driven him to madness, and eating stones and dirt did nothing more than make him sick. In the end, he had turned to his own flesh… his arms were wasted, as were the calves of both legs. The very idea repulsed him, but his own survival instincts had taken over… his mind was no longer in control of his actions. Vegeta had remarked to him before sticking him down here that Saiyans were incapable of starving to death. Now Kress knew with sickening clarity that he had been right.

His mind wandered again, and it seemed that the nightmares he had once avoided were a comforting relief from the horror of real life. It was his mother and father this time that were crying out… he had destroyed their home, the home he had grown up in, and they were now running from him. His father was saying something to him, but he couldn't hear him, all he could hear was laughter. It was coming from him.

I'm sorry, a tiny voice said, but Kress couldn't figure out whose it was. He blasted his parents to nothing, and turned to do the same to anyone else who stood in his path. The one who stood before him was Radditz.

"Don't let him change you," he pleaded to Kress. Suddenly, the flesh melted off his bones, and Kress began to eat it hungrily.

Suddenly there was something around his throat, and Vegeta was there with him, in the hole, with a leather strap tied to his neck. Kress could smell him… before he jumped on him, Vegeta was up in the air, and Kress was dangling by the strap around his neck. Before long, they were out of the hole, and Kress squinted at the light he hadn't seen for months. His sense of smell kicked in before his eyesight returned… not far from where they were, a female was alive, tied to some stakes in the ground. When Kress's eyesight returned to him, he saw her there, dressed in nearly nothing. The smell of her was overpowering… he bucked against the strap around his neck, wanting to go to her, but Vegeta held him back.

Grabbing Kress from the back of his neck, he whispered in his ear, "Eat, nothing more," he said. "Understand?" he asked menacingly, roughly grabbing one of Kress's arms that had almost been stripped of meat. Kress screamed, but nodded hurriedly, and Vegeta let him go. Kress crawled over to where the girl was lying… she was screaming, begging and pleading for him to help her. Kress heard none of it as his teeth ripped through her flesh, and she was dead before he had finished eating.

A/N: You guys hate me yet? Maybe I should go back to HFIL… I promise, no more sick, sadistic Gohan stories… but, you guys wanted a love interest, right? (shudders at her own evil nature). I had to put a few bits here and there so you wouldn't be completely surprised at how Gohan turns out the way he does in the end…

Happy chapters after this, I promise!


	14. A New Home

A/N: Well, now, here we are again. True to my promise, I've got a sadistic Gohan-free chapter ready for you guys… it's on a happier note than many of my chapters have been, and there are going to be many more happy chapters after it, maybe even without things like death and tears in them!

I do not own DBZ.

A New Home

"Mommy! Goten pulled my hair!"

"I was just playing! I wasn't trying to hurt you, you're just a baby!"

"Mommy! Goten called me a baby!"

Bulma put a shaking hand to her forehead. She needed to be out there… those two required almost constant supervision, but she also knew she had to finish this before it was too late. Goten and Pel would have already been exposed to the deadly heart virus she now carried… she had to find an antidote, and fast. She couldn't bear for her children to die the same way Goku and Chichi had… the way she was going to…

Bulma had purposely not let on to the kids that she was sick. She had wanted them to be happy, and they were almost at their destination. Bulma hoped against hope that this planet Namek was peaceful… they had come across so many dangerous planets in their travels. They had nearly been killed at one planet… Goten's tail had given the people there the impression that they were a part of Frieza's army. Something about Saiyan children being sent to planets to kill the residents… just like Goku had been, Bulma remembered. After that encounter she had cut off Goten's tail.

But Kami had been peaceful, and even though his counterpart Piccollo hadn't, she hoped that he was the exception to the rule. Peaceful or not, Namek was where they were going; she could take them no further.

She was so close to finding the antidote she could feel it. She was tired, so tired, but she couldn't stop, not if she wanted her children to be safe. Not long ago she had found a mix that would stave off the effects of the disease for short periods of time. Ever since that day she had practically locked herself in the tiny room off side of the ship, working like mad to find a permanent solution. Occasionally she would come out to check on Goten and Pel, and make them something to eat, but they found themselves more and more dependent on themselves for entertainment, which explained the ruckus going on in the other room.

"Goten, stop it! Mommy said you can't touch the buttons!"

Buttons? Quickly, Bulma opened the door and stormed into the room, just as she felt the ship lurch beneath her. Barely holding herself up, she made her way to the navigational console, where Goten and Pel were cowering guiltily. Punching in the adjustments that would right the ship, Bulma turned to glower at the two children when the navigation readings sunk in. "We're here," she said in surprise, glancing back at the readings. They had finally made it to Namek. "In the force field," she said to Goten and Pel, who both frowned.

"Do we have to?" Goten asked plaintively, but Bulma merely nodded. Dejectedly, the two kids made their way to the spot where their crib used to be, where their bed was now. They both sat down, and Bulma activated the force field and entered the coordinates for what she hoped would be a smooth landing. She sat down in the chair in the center of the room, smiling at the two frowning children.

"Hey, kids, cheer up! We're about to land on Namek, and after that, no more space travel!" she said optimistically, hoping her words would cheer her up, too. Over the years she had tried so hard to always look at the bright side, to be optimistic like Goku had been. Children needed that, she knew, and always tried to hide her own pain so the children would feel safe. And it had worked... now the kids had resorted to playing a game of rock-paper-scissors while they waited for the ship to land. Bulma was reminded of two little boys who used to play the same game…

As the ship began to land, Bulma felt herself start to slip. No… she needed more time. She couldn't go out this way… she had to be sure Goten and Pel would never get the virus. Despite her most fervent wishes, however, the edges of her vision began to go black, and time began to lose its focus. Her children were yelling at her… what were they saying? They wanted out… had they landed? She looked at the view port and could see light and blue trees… they were here…

Bulma struggled to stand, but ended up on the floor. She had to get that force field down…her kids would starve to death if they couldn't get out, she knew. Pushing herself harder than ever before, Bulma made her way to the navigational console and, with a shaky hand, pressed the button that would shut down the force field.

In no time tiny hands were all over her, on her face, and her children wanted to know if she was okay. She had to stay conscious, just a little while longer, she promised herself. Her eyes refused to focus, and so she talked to her blurry kids with slurred speech.

"Find… help," she got out, and soon the kids were gone. She had to stay awake… she had to get to the lab…

Goten and Pel ran out of the ship. "Where do we go?" Pel asked breathily. Goten shrugged.

"Let's just go straight. We'll find someone somewhere… but we gotta hurry," Goten said, and the two took off, running as fast as they possibly could.

It wasn't long before they found a small village. When they got there, they cried out to anyone who could hear, not bothering to check first if the aliens were dangerous. They only knew they needed to get help, and fast.

"Help! Help us!" Pel cried out, and soon green men with antennae came out of the small huts, watching them curiously. "Please help us, our mom is sick!" she said plaintively.

One young man came to them. "Show me where she is," he said softly to the two children.

Goten nodded at Pel, and the two of them began to run again. The young green man followed them, until they reached the ship. "Stay here," the man said, and Goten and Pel obeyed without question. They didn't like seeing their mom sick…

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Pel asked Goten.

Goten stuck out his lip. "I hope so. Don't worry, Pel… it will work out. You'll see," he said, until his sister seemed to be consoled.

Dende looked around. He could sense someone, very faintly, in the small room to the side of the ship. He had been amazed to find that this was one of the old Namekian ships, though it had been changed on the inside of it. When he found the woman, she was on the floor, reaching for something. She was definitely sick…her face was sweating, and her every movement was slow and sluggish. Wasting no time, Dende reached out his hands and tried to heal the woman. He was shocked to find out that he could not.

Bulma was vaguely aware that someone was there. "Please," she said, pointing to the syringe on the floor. Whoever was there took the hint and soon it was in her hand. Doing her best to keep her hand steady, she aimed the needle for the vein in her arm, but lacked the strength to put it in. It fell to the floor beside her arm.

Dende watched this with fascination, but knew he had to act quickly. The woman was trying to put that needle into her arm! As barbaric as it sounded, though, Dende could tell the woman was acting out of survival. Carefully he picked up the needle, and the woman looked up to him. She held out her arm, and pointed to a blue vein he could see through her pale skin. "Insert the needle in the vein," she said slowly, slurring some of the words. "Then push the top of the syringe until all but a little liquid is in the vein," she said, hoping that had come out right. She didn't want him to accidentally kill her.

Dende nodded, then did as he was told. It was a little jarring sticking the needle into her, but not long after he was finished, her energy started to improve. She smiled up at him.

"Hi, my name is Bulma," she said, shakily. "I hope you don't mind our arrival… we've been looking for your planet for a long time."

Dende smiled. "I'm Dende. You are welcome here. If you don't mind my asking, how do you have an old Namekian ship?"

"Kami," she said, resting her head against the wall. "We're from a planet called Earth. We had a Guardian… his name was Kami. He was from here. This was his ship," she said, looking around at the mess the lab was in. "Our planet has been destroyed. We're… the last…"

Dende nodded, understanding. "You can stay here as long as you need. I… I tried to heal you, but I couldn't. Do you know what's wrong with you?" he asked. He could still sense the sickness within her… the medicine in the needle was only a temporary fix.

Bulma nodded. "It's a heart virus. Two of my friends died of it… the little boy, his parents. Now I have it… I'm trying to find a cure, so that Goten and Pel won't get it… but I have so little time left…" Suddenly, a thought struck her. "Oh, no, I've infected you!" she said in alarm.

Dende closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. "Whatever you're sick with, I don't have it," he said. "I would be able to tell," he explained at her confused look.

Bulma smiled, relieved. "The kids… are they okay?" she asked.

Dende nodded. "They're outside. They were hitting each other's hands last time I checked…" he said, a little confused at that last.

"Rock-paper-scissors," Bulma explained, getting up. "It's a game, don't worry. They're fine if they're playing games." Suddenly, pain lanced through Bulma's chest, and she gasped. "I don't have much time. I have to find the antidote… at least a vaccine…" She turned back to Dende. "I can't take care of them while I work. I know this is a lot to ask, but… I need someone to take care of them, while I try to find the antidote, and… afterward…"

"Of course," Dende said, smiling. "They'll be safe with us." Suddenly it dawned on Dende. "You don't think you'll be able to cure yourself?" he asked.

Bulma smiled sadly. "The medicine I've been using to hold off the effects of the virus have raised my resistance to the chemicals that would work," she said, then nearly laughed at Dende's confused look. "Because of the medicine I'm taking now, I won't be able to take the medicine that would cure it. My body is too used to the chemicals in the medicine," she explained. "I just have to finish it, so that I can give the cure to my children, and everyone here who gets infected." She looked Dende over. "You'd better let me take some of your DNA… just in case you do have it, or get infected later, and I can make an antidote for you, too."

Dende had no clue what DNA was, but when Bulma pulled out another needle, this time an empty one, he understood. "You want some of my blood," he said. Bulma nodded, and he rolled up his sleeve. He felt a little pinch as the needle went in, but then in was over, and his blood was inside the needle. His skin regenerated over the hole instantly, and Bulma was amazed. She was about to say something when she got another pain in her chest.

"I have to hurry," she said, and cocked her head at Dende. "Thank you so much for helping us. I don't want my kids to be around me like this… is there some way I can contact you if I find the antidote?" she asked.

"Just call, and we can hear you from here," Dende said. Bulma raised an eyebrow at this, and was about to respond, when the two kids came barreling into the room.

"Mommy, Mommy, are you okay?" they were asking. Bulma smiled down at the two of them as they held her legs. She bent down to eye level with the two.

"I'm okay, guys. Don't worry. But… I'm afraid I'm going to have to say goodbye to you," she said, as softly as she could.

Confusion filled the kids' faces, and she knew they wouldn't understand. "I'm sick, kids, and I can't be your Mommy anymore," she said, knowing she had to make them understand. "You're going to go live with Dende and his people for a while," she said. "You have to be good, and listen to them the same way you listen to me, do you understand?" she asked.

Pel cocked her head. "Are you going to get better?" she asked.

Bulma grimaced. "No, sweetie… I'm afraid not. Listen, you two are going to be okay. Dende's really nice, and he said that he and the other Nameks would take good care of you. I also want you to take care of each other," she said. She looked into Pel's eyes, smoothing out her purple hair. "Pel, I want you to be nice to Goten. He's your family now… take good care of him, and try to keep him out of trouble," she said, smiling. She turned to Goten, and ruffled his hair. "Goten, before your real mother died, she made some final requests. She wanted me to name you Goten, after your father, Goku. I don't know if I've ever told you this, but your father was a great fighter. Your mother wanted you to learn how to fight like he did, so that you could keep yourself and those you care about safe. I want you to keep Pel safe, too… protect her with everything you have. Okay?" Goten nodded, tears in his eyes. Bulma held one of each of their hands in her own, holding them together. "Your mother also wanted you two to stay together, and so do I. You two are the last of our race, the last humans alive. When you get older… you'll understand. Let me just say that, it's important that you two keep each other in your hearts, wherever you go… take each other with you. Keep each other close, and one day… maybe… the future of our race will come from the two of you."

With that, she gave a look to Dende, who took the two kids out of the room. When he came back, she was at the table working again. Before he turned to leave, however, Bulma looked up, remembering something important. "Dende… I've gone over the computer records often on our journey, and there are some major differences between my people and yours. For one thing, the kids will need food to survive… they can't live off of water, which it seems your people can. Am I right?" Dende nodded. "Also, your race only has one… um… gender. You reproduce by laying eggs, right?" Dende blushed a little, but nodded. "Humans have two genders… male and female. Goten is a male, and Pel is a female. When they're older… well, we'll just trust that instinct will take care of that part. But make sure they don't do anything with each other until they're at least 18… it's not good for Pel," she said, suddenly dreading this conversation. She knew she had to tell Dende these things, though, or there would be trouble in the future. "I've raised Goten and Pel so far as brother and sister, and I'm sure they will feel that way here, being the last two of their kind. But… they are not brother and sister, and it's important for them to know that before… well, before they get old enough to care. Do you understand any of this?"

Dende nodded, smiling. "We've met species of more than one gender before," he said, and now it was Bulma's turn to blush. "Don't worry… we'll take good care of them. And I know someone who can teach Goten to fight… he's been looking for a new student. They'll grow up happy here… don't worry."

Bulma smiled, relieved. "I won't. I know they're in good hands. Now, I've got to work on this antidote…" she said, and Dende took that as his cue to leave.

Goten and Pel were outside, both crying softly. Dende smiled down at them. "Come on, I'll bet you two are hungry," he said, and Goten smiled up at him through his tears. Pel sniffed and smiled as well, and the two children followed Dende into the village, off to start their new lives on Namek.

A/N: There, those who hated me because of the last chapter can rest assured that there will definitely be a love interest in the story, if not for Gohan, then at least for his little brother. Read and review!


	15. Happiness

Hey, did you guys miss me? I know, I know... it's been a while. It's time for recovery... my soul suffered a bit writing the Gohan part of this fic... and I have more bad guys to add, too. Sometimes I hate being a writer... it's a curse I know I will never be rid of. Even after I finish this fic, I'll always be thinking about it, wanting to change this or that, thinking it could have been so much better. Mostly I hate having to be the bad guy... even though I get to be the good guy, too, I can feel the taint of it inside. I know I will never be purely good if I'm a writer... a writer by definition must be both good and evil, to accurately represent both in his or her story. Putting myself in HFIL holds no purpose... they can never torture my soul the way I do.

Man, am I emo or what? No wonder my chappies are so harsh! Well, here's hoping I can write a few whimsical chapters before throwing myself back into what is left of Kress.

HAPPINESS

Pel wiped her face clumsily as the Namekians lowered the box into the hole in the ground. Her mommy was gone… she wasn't coming back, not ever. Even though her mommy had told her goodbye over a month ago, Pel still had hoped that she would somehow get better. Dende had poked her and Goten with a needle earlier that day, telling them that her mommy had worked really hard to make a medicine that would keep them from getting sick, too. Pel rubbed the sore spot on her arm… somehow she knew it was important, that it was a good thing.

"Thank you, Mommy," she whispered as she dropped a flower into the hole on top of the box. Goten's hand moved to hold hers, and she took it, squeezing tightly. She looked up at him, at his tear-streaked face. He was her brother… he was all the family she had left. She didn't want him to be sad. She smiled. "It's okay, Goten," she said, wiping his face. "Mommy wouldn't want us to be sad. We came all this way to find a new home… Mommy would want us to be happy here," she said, hoping to cheer him up.

Goten smiled at her. "Yeah, you're right. Mommy wouldn't want us to be sad. But…" he trailed off, looking wistfully down into the hole, "I miss her," he said.

Pel tried to smile, but her lower lip seemed to stick out despite her best efforts. "Me, too…" she said, and they hugged eachother, each crying a little before letting go.

Dende came up behind them and knelt down to their eye level. "I'm very sorry for your loss," he said to them.

The two children smiled up at him. "Mommy would want us to be happy," Goten said. "Right, Pel?"

Pel nodded, wiping away the last of her tears. "Yeah. She worked really hard to get us here, and to make us that medicine… the least we could do is be happy," she said bravely.

Dende smiled. "You two are something amazing. You have a home here, as long as you want. Pel, you can learn healing with me if you want to," he said to the young girl. He looked over at Goten. "And there's someone here who wants to meet you, Goten," he said, and a tall Namekian walked over to them, looking down at Goten with kind eyes. "His name is Nail, and he wants to teach you how to fight."

Goten's eyes went wide. "You mean, I can learn to be a fighter like my father?" he asked. He had never known his father, but he knew Bulma thought very well of him, and something within him demanded that he grow up to be just like him.

Nail smiled at him. "It won't be easy, but I can sense you have potential," he said.

Goten grinned, and looked over at Pel. "Will we have to separate?" Pel asked, plaintively.

Dende shook his head. "No, you two will be together. It was your mother's last wish," he said, deciding to leave it at that.

The two children smiled at eachother. They were going to be together, they were going to learn new things… and they were going to be happy.

Dende knew their mother would be proud.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I know it was short, but it's just the kindling to start my new rash of writer's fever. Hopefully, it will last a while.


	16. Bliss

_**A/N: Well, well... here we all are, once again. Life has happened, but I'm hoping it will make me a better writer. When I started this, I was a blissfully married college student. Now I'm a single mother, and, for some reason... happier? I hope it will affect my writing, and make it easier to write Goten.**_

_**Supreme Kai: So, you're back after all this time. Will you finish what you started? You're not going to make Goten sadistic, too, are you?**_

_**Me: (smiles at Supreme Kai) I'm sorry I fought with you before. You were right. Things went the way they went for a reason. Just because you CAN do something, doesn't mean you SHOULD do it. I will finish this story, because it's time to put right what I had done wrong.**_

_**Supreme Kai: … You've found God, haven't you?**_

_**Me: (merely smiles serenely)**_

* * *

**Bliss**

Blue leaves whispered ever so softly as the faint breeze gently caressed the surface of the planet. A young girl pushed a strand of purple hair out of her face as she plucked yet another ripe green fruit from the vine in front of her. She frowned as she searched the vine for more fruit, even as she balanced the one she had just plucked on top of the over-filled basket. Finding no more, she sighed. "Well, I guess this will have to do. Goten's just gonna have to be fine with it," she muttered to herself as she hefted the heavy basket out of the vineyard. Pulling it behind her, she backed up to a cart Dende had fashioned for her just for this purpose, and, with great effort, lifted it in. This task done, she stretched out her sore shoulder muscles, and, taking the handles of the cart, began to run. There weren't many hills on the planet of Namek, but Nail and Goten seemed to find the only ones, and insisted on training there. She wanted to build up plenty of momentum for when she got to it. Plus, after an entire morning of meditation, it felt good to get some exercise.

Pel smiled to herself as she ran. It seemed like forever ago that she and Goten came to this planet, and they already thought of it as home. None of the Namekians treated them any differently because they were human, and they were all friendly to them. Not that Namekians never had a bad day... Nail was typically a little grumpy, and while Dende was usually optimistic, he did get frustrated from time to time, usually when Pel's mind wandered during meditation (which it did often). But Pel and Goten knew they could turn to any Namekian, anywhere on the planet, for help, directions, or just someone to talk to, and never be turned away. In turn, they did all they could to contribute to their community... Pel, for instance, managed the vineyards and gardens in her village, and Goten would often be called upon to help build or repair huts when they needed it.

_Goten_. Pel's thoughts were never very far from her brother... well, _not_ her brother. Dende had told her once that he wasn't actually related to her, that Goten was the son of her mother's friends, and had alluded that one day, that information would be important to her. Little did he know that, while Goten merely shrugged off the news of their lack of blood relation as unimportant, Pel would come to obsess over it. Such was the way with little girls. While Goten dreamed of one day becoming as strong as his father, Pel dreamed of one day making Goten notice just how nice and pretty she really was...

Pel veered course to narrowly avoid a bump in the path as she kept going. She had begun the practice of bringing Goten food shortly after he had started training with Nail... that boy was so hungry after all that training! And, as the only other human on the planet, she alone could understand hunger better than any of the Namekians, who survived on just water, could. And so, here she was, bringing a cart full of food to the boy of her daydreams...

Pel daydreamed until she arrived atop the flat hill. When she finally laid eyes on them, they were just two dots in the air. She would have missed them entirely, were it not for the noise of them fighting. In the still breeze, even a human could hear sounds from a mile away. Pel sat down, and began munching on a piece of fruit. There was no telling when the two would pause their fighting, but she knew Goten... the smell of food would bring him down before too long.

Up in the air, Goten's eyes were on Nail. Or at least, on where Nail had been a split second ago. Closing his eyes, he tried to focus on sensing Nail's energy, as he had been taught. The day was clear and there was nothing to hide behind, but Goten knew Nail didn't need to hide to keep from being seen. At least, not yet. But...

Suddenly, Goten brought up a hand and blocked the attack just before it connected, replying with a swift kick of his own. The two exchanged blows faster than the eye could see, and soon both fighters seemed invisible as they put everything they had into the battle.

Nail focused all of his energy into the fight. He hadn't yet let on to Goten, but he himself had been gaining strength lately because of their training exercises. Normally, that was considered to be a good thing for a warrior... but not necessarily if one was the master. The fact that he'd had to push himself harder and faster than ever before could only mean one thing.

He was nearing the end of what he could teach Goten.

It wouldn't be too long before Goten could best him in battle. That worried him... not because he doubted the good in his young pupil's heart, but because the boy was so young. It wasn't good for one so young to best his master... it made him cocky, and it led to mistakes should he ever meet a stronger, more powerful opponent. He only hoped he could get stronger more quickly than Goten, for the boy's sake. He had never met the boy's father, but apparently the man had been a powerful warrior. Nail didn't doubt it... the boy was very powerful, and had greatly surprised him at the beginning of his training by learning how to fly in a mere two days.

In fact, it was only the appearance of the girl Pel that gave Nail the advantage he needed to win the battle. When Goten looked down, smelling the food she brought, no doubt, Nail kicked him hard in the back of the head, sending the boy plummeting down toward the ground.

"OUCH! THAT HURT!" Goten cried out as he slowed his descent just in time to avoid hitting the ground with a thud. He landed lightly on his feet as he held his head with both hands, feeling the back of it for the bump he knew was coming. Suddenly, his eyes landed on Pel and the cart of food behind her. "Yay! Food's here!" he shouted, running over towards the cart.

"Hello to you, too, Goten," Pel muttered, rolling her eyes. As much as she liked being the one to make him this happy, she really wished he would notice her for more than what she brought.

Goten had completely stuffed one of the fruits into his mouth before pausing to glance her way. "Shhrrhy Puuh," he said, mouth full of food. When he had chewed and swallowed, he grinned at her. "It's always nice to see you," he said, causing her to smile and blush at his words. Goten grabbed another piece of fruit. "Especially when you bring food," he said impishly, stuffing it into his mouth.

Pel glared at him. "You're impossible," she complained, rolling her eyes.

Just then Nail landed nearby, approaching the two children. "Goten," he said, causing the boy to stop eating and turn around quickly. Seeing that he had the boy's attention, he continued. "You let yourself become distracted. If I were a real opponent, it would have been your downfall," he warned.

Goten's face soured. "It already was," he said, rubbing the back of his head where he had been kicked. "Sorry, Master," he added.

Nail nodded, and glanced at Pel. The girl smiled up at him, and handed him a canteen of cold water she had collected. He smiled back, taking the canteen. "Thank you, Pel," he responded, drinking deeply. The battle had drained him more than he had thought. When he had slaked his thirst, he handed the canteen back to the girl. "And how goes your training, young one?" he asked her as Goten stuffed his face with fruit.

Pel sighed. "I'm trying very hard, Master Nail, but I don't think I'll ever be really good at healing, not like Master Dende. I mean, I'm good at memorizing stuff, but it's the energy thing, I just can't seem to focus it," she admitted, discouraged. "I don't see how Goten does it," she said.

Goten glanced her way, shrugging. Nail raised an eyebrow. "What comes easily for Goten may be difficult for you, child, but what comes easily for you is also difficult for him. Today's lesson, for example, is one that I seem to be teaching him every time you bring him food. And yet, every time, he seems to forget it," he said, glancing at his student, who pretended not to notice.

That made Pel laugh. "I guess so," she said, feeling a little better. "At least Master Dende is pleased with my gardening. He said the crops never looked as good since Namekians first settled here," she said, pleased with herself.

"Well, they sure taste good," Goten said, finishing the last one. "That should do for a little while, anyway," he said, stretching.

Suddenly, the air all around them electrified for an instant, and two strangely-clad figures appeared before them. One was tall, broad shouldered, with dark pink skin and white hair that hung down to his shoulders. The other was short, with light purple skin and a shock of white hair down the middle of his head. Both seemed to emanate an authority that made even the children hold their breath.

"Wha- who-" Nail began, but the large stranger held up his hand.

"Greetings," the smaller one said, his voice soft and serene. "I am the Supreme Kai, and this is my assistant, Kibito," he said, gesturing to the larger alien, who merely stood silently, arms folded. "There is a matter we wish to discuss with you, Master Nail," he continued.

Nail's eyes had turned to saucers the moment the stranger had introduced himself. When he came to himself, he dropped humbly to one knee. Glancing at each other, Goten and Pel copied him, dropping to one knee as well. Nail stuttered when he spoke. "S-Supreme Kai. I... I had only heard rumors of your existence, but did not think it was possible," he said, his voice filled with awe. "What brings you to our humble planet?" he asked, amazed the being would even be in the presence of mortals.

The Supreme Kai smiled. "The Namekians have served as guardians and guides in this part of the galaxy almost since the beginning of your species' existence," he said proudly. His expression sobered. "However, it was not for this reason that we have been watching you so closely these past years," he said, and turned his gaze on the two children. "We have been greatly interested in your student, Goten," he said, causing the boy to look up.

"Me? What do you mean?" the boy asked, standing up. He didn't understand what all the kneeling was about, anyway.

"Goten... you must address him as Supreme Kai," Nail chided, still on one knee.

"It is alright," the Supreme Kai said, regarding Goten. "The truth is, Goten, we have been watching you from the moment you were born. Your guardians could not have realized it, but you have a very special destiny ahead of you. Your father was once one of the primary protectors of the Earth, even though he was originally sent there to destroy it. But your destiny is even greater, Goten, for you are destined to protect the entire universe from destruction," he said softly.

Goten's eyes got wide. "The whole universe?" he asked in awe.

"Supreme Kai," Nail asked humbly, "what does this mean? How could the entire universe be in danger of destruction?" he asked, hoping not to anger the being.

The Supreme Kai frowned. "There is one who, even now, is growing stronger... an evil power who will obliterate the very stars, and leave only blackness and death in its wake. I tell you this only because there is hope that this will not come to pass... but only if Goten leaves you, and comes to train with me," he explained.

It was Goten who spoke first. "Leave? But... what about Pel?" he protested, as Pel stood and clamped onto his arm tightly at even the thought of being separated from him.

Tears welled in the little girl's eyes. "Please, Supreme Kai... don't take Goten. He's all the family I have left," she said. She had never been away from Goten before, never even for a whole day. They still slept in the same room, as they had every day of their lives since Goten was born. She couldn't imagine life without him right there.

Goten nodded in agreement. "Besides, we promised our mom we wouldn't separate. I promised I'd take care of her, and I can't break my promise," he said fiercely.

The Supreme Kai sighed. He had known this would be difficult for them. "Goten... I know you wish to keep your promise, and also that you care very much for Pel. But imagine what would happen if you did not come with me? The entire universe would be destroyed, to the point where new life could not even begin anew. Even this planet, and all who live on it, including you and Pel, would die. Is that what your mother would have wanted?" he asked softly.

Goten was silent for a long moment. Then he removed his arm from Pel's . At her shocked expression, he smiled sadly. "He's right, Pel. If I let the whole universe get destroyed, that means I'm not protecting you, and I promised to protect you. The only way I can keep you and everyone else safe is if I do what he asks," he said, his lip quivering.

Tears ran down Pel's face. "But, can't I come, too?" she asked, her gaze pleading with the Supreme Kai.

It was Nail who answered. "No," he said softly, still on one knee. He gazed at Goten. "I know my student. Pel, if you go with him, he will never be able to devote his entire being to his training. He needs to put everything he has into this, or all life everywhere is doomed," he said, one glance at the Supreme Kai confirming his suspicions. He looked back at Goten. "Remember your training, and what you learned today. Do not let yourself get distracted... or you might lose the very thing you wish to save," he warned.

Goten bowed to Nail in response, and turned back to Pel. "It'll be okay, Pel. I won't really be gone. I'll be right here with you, just like Mom's with us when we think about her. Don't be sad," he said, managing a smile. "Will you promise me that? That you'll be happy? When I beat this thing, I'll come back for you, and I want to find you happy, okay?" he asked.

Pel was still crying, but managed a teary smile. "Okay, Goten. I love you. Don't forget to come back for me," she said, wishing once again that he understood how she truly felt about him.

Goten hugged her. "Don't worry, I won't, Pel. You have my word," he said, and then, releasing her, turned to the Supreme Kai. "Okay," he said bravely. "I'm ready."

"Very well," the Supreme Kai said, and Kibito, stepping near him, held out his hand. Goten took it - and disappeared, along with the two strangers.

Pel sobbed quietly as Nail stood. "Goodbye, Goten," she whispered, wiping her tear-streaked face.

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_**A/N: Well, I hope you all liked it! I will do my best to complete this story... it's my oldest, and the one I've put the most work into it, so I'd really like to finish it. If you're one of my older readers, feel free to go back and re-read the first part of the story... I know I had to! If there's ever anything I forget in future chapters, feel free to let me know about it! And thank you guys for reading. To all my new readers, I started this fic long ago, but hope to finish it soon. Don't worry, though... there is much more to come before it's over!**_


	17. Kai

_**A/N: Well, here I am, next chapter in hand. I'm pretty sure this one-chapter-a-day thing won't last long, but for now, at least I can make some headway. Let me know if the story starts feeling rushed, guys. I'm trying to go at the same pace with Goten that I went with Gohan. Believe me, there is much to his training, it won't be over by next chapter. Oh, and there may be a surprise character visit! Any guesses to who it may be? First one who gets it right gets a box of cookies!**_

___**I do not own Dragonball Z.**_

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**KAI**

They seemed to fly, yet not move, as space and time flowed around them like water rushing into a deep hole. Goten clung to Kibito's hand tightly, instinctively knowing that, should he let go, there may be no finding him. Kibito cast him a glance, his face as grim as always, but somehow Goten knew the dark-pink warrior was just checking to make sure he was alright. Deciding to overcome his intimidation, he flashed the warrior a smile. He could almost swear he saw a hint of a smile in return before reality suddenly congealed all around them.

Or, some kind of reality, anyway. They were on a planet... there was ground beneath Goten's feet, and a sky above his head... but, it didn't seem like any world he had ever been on. It was... too small! He could see the curvature of the planet in the distance plainly, and had the feeling he could probably run all around it in a very short time. What's more, there was light all around them, but he didn't see a sun anywhere. What he did see were other large planetary bodies which seemed dangerously close, so close he was almost afraid they would crash into the planet. He looked back at Kibito and the Supreme Kai, who did not seem worried at all that they might get squashed by giant space rocks. He relaxed a little.

The Supreme Kai spoke. "Goten, you have chosen to come with me and train, to protect the universe. This decision was a noble one. But I did not warn you, and could not warn you in front of the others, what this decision would entail," he said solemnly.

A lump formed in Goten's throat. "There's more?" he asked weakly. Now what would be expected of him?

The ancient being smiled tolerantly at him. "Training with me would make you stronger, but simple training could not make you strong enough to defeat your opponent. It is what we will start with, but if you are to save the universe, you must be transformed," he said, "into one of us. You must become a Kai."

Even Kibito was surprised at this news. "Supreme Kai... is this even possible? A mortal cannot become a Kai... can he?"

The Supreme Kai merely continued to smile. "This transformation will take place much later, once you have completed your training. The only reason I tell you now is, it requires commitment and sacrifice on your part. Everything you do from this time to that will affect whether or not the transformation is even possible. It is imperative that you remain pure of heart and strong of will. You must live according to the code of the Kai all your life. You must be a Kai in will and action from this moment on, so that, when the time comes, you can be transformed into one in body. Do you understand this, Goten?"

Goten frowned in thought. "You're saying, I have to be good, 'cause if I'm bad, I can't become a Kai and save the universe," he translated.

Kibito grunted his approval. He liked this kid... he kept things simple. That was how Kibito preferred them.

The Supreme Kai nodded. "It is up to you, Goten. Will you make this commitment? Will you devote your life to the life of a Kai, and take our ways as your own?" he asked.

Something made Goten hesitate. "Wait... will this mean I can never see Pel again?" he asked suspiciously.

The Supreme Kai was silent for a moment. "The way of the Kai is a strict one, Goten. But you and Pel are the last of your race. If your training is completed swiftly, I will grant you whatever time is left between the end of your training, and the coming of this great evil, to be with Pel. In that time, you must remain pure of heart, Goten, but you will be free to... do whatever comes naturally to you. When the evil arrives, you will know it, and you will be transformed. Will this be acceptable to you?" he asked.

Goten grinned. He didn't understand everything the Supreme Kai was talking about, but he understood enough. "Yeah! Let's do it! If I hurry and get stronger, then I can see Pel again, right? At least, until the big evil thing comes? And after I beat it..." He trailed off, frowning. "What happens after I beat it?" he asked.

The Supreme Kai and Kibito shared a glance. "There is a reason why the Kai remain separate from the rest of the universe," the Supreme Kai informed him. "In order to protect it, we must see all of it. If we interfere with just a little part, it will always need our interference, it will never grow to exist by itself. Our interference must only occur when the fate of the entire universe is at stake. You will learn that, no matter how terrifying or horrible a being may be up close, from afar, if it only terrorizes a small population, the universe as a whole will survive, and the good beings in that population will have the chance to rise up and grow stronger, defending their own homes. This is the way it should be... this is how your father came to be so strong, before he died. We may see everything, but we cannot be everywhere at once. It is necessary for the good people of the universe to stand up for themselves."

"But... when an evil threatens the very existence of the universe, that is when we must step in. If the universe no longer exists, then good will never have a chance to become strong again," he continued. He placed a hand on Goten's shoulder. "It is our place to protect the whole universe, not just one tiny part of it. However, we can only see everything from up here. Once we enter the realm of mortals, we can no longer see everything, we can no longer do our jobs. Do you understand now?" he asked softly.

Goten swallowed hard. "So... after I beat the great evil, I have to stay up here... forever?" he asked, disappointed.

The Supreme Kai nodded. "I'm afraid so, Goten. What's more, as a Kai, forever is much longer than your mortal life. When you are transformed... you will no longer be mortal. You will be ageless, deathless. You will be here until the end of time itself," he explained.

"And if I don't," Goten said softly, "the whole universe will be destroyed, my friends along with it." He thought long and hard before he spoke again. "Okay. I'll do it," he said finally, conviction in his voice.

"Then let it be so," the Supreme Kai said, raising a finger at Goten. Suddenly, a beam came out of his finger, and Goten's Namekian garb changed into clothes that looked like the Supreme Kai's and Kibito's. "From this moment on, you have adopted the way of the Kai, and will be known as Kai Goten. You are one of us in all but body, and until the time comes when you are transformed, you will live like us, train like us, and follow our ways," he said, smiling. He turned to Kibito. "Kibito will begin your training," he said, nodding to his friend, who bowed.

Goten looked down at his new clothes, then up at Kibito. "Okay, Master Kibito. What do you want me to do first?" he asked, eager to get on with his training. He wanted to get as much time to spend with Pel on Namek as he possibly could. At the very least, he wanted to be ready before the great evil came and destroyed everything.

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_**A/N: Well, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Not as long as the last chapter, but we'll get there. I don't like putting too many pivot points into one chapter. Read and review, please! We'll see who wins that box of cookies...**_

__**_Supreme Kai: I believe those belong to me. I know who the surprise visitor is._**

****_**Me: Sorry, Supreme Kai, you can't play.**_

__**_Supreme Kai: Why not?_**

_**Me: You took an oath of non-interference, remember?**_

__**_Supreme Kai: So?_**

_**Me: Well, will the entire universe be destroyed if you don't give away who our mystery guest is?**_

___**Supreme Kai: ... No...**_

**_Me: Then no cookies for you!_**

****_**Supreme Kai: Are you sure you're good now?**_

_**Me: Sure am! I baked these myself, and they're delicious!**_

___**Supreme Kai: ...That's not what I meant...**_


End file.
